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Just when I wished life was more like a musical, the creator of Saturday Night Live brought me one.

C’mon, you know what I mean.

After meandering through a dank forest with our partners and fighting over everything and nothing at the same time, wouldn’t it be lovely to be greeted by happy faces singing and dancing all around with the sole goal of lifting our frowns?

Well, that’s exactly what happened to the main characters in the newly launched Apple+ series Schmigadoon! No worries, there are plenty of wisecracks for non-musical folks to enjoy too.

This new comedy was pure joy and stirred up memories of other show-stopping tunes with the same light touch. And much to my surprise, after watching the episode, one of the musicals on my mind came to life.

I had popped into our local market for some dinner and a young employee was breezily singing as she stocked the shelves.

Seriously.

What are the chances of watching a playfully fictitious show (while folding laundry) and then going out only to feel like the magic of it was kind of real?

The lyrics were from Hairspray—one of those musicals on my mind.

I just had to see who belonged to this brave voice. My head immediately turned toward her.

However, in between us stood a perturbed, purple-tipped brunette of a teenager who snarkily said, “I’ve never heard of that.”

Without thinking, I chortled back, “How is that possible?”

“Oh no, not another one!” While, ducking she exclaimed, “I’m sandwiched! If you start singing too…!”

All three of us burst into awkward but easy laughter right there in the aisle.

As tempting as it was, I did not start singing to annoy the teen again. I mentally belted “Good Morning, Baltimore” instead and returned to grabbing off of the shelf what I came for in the first place. However, when she knowingly passed me by with a rolling-eyed grin, I added, “If you like John Travolta, you may want to try watching the film—he plays the mom.”

“No wayyy, I actually really want to see it now.”

Again, my mind sang.

As easy as it would have been to take the mystery away and belt a line or 12, I saved the serenade for myself on the drive home.

It was a beat in my head I could not ignore.

Life really can be like a musical—if we stay awake to the present moment and notice those who surround us. It takes only one voice to sing out loud enough to be heard. One.

Her song’s sound created lightness and joy for a group of strangers—and the energy carried itself into my car and out into the world as I drove away in my own, real-life, Schmigadoon! with the windows down singing…

“You Can’t Stop the Beat” from Hairspray.