Mary Poppins ~ A Call to Love

Mary Poppins ~ A Call to Love

Mary Poppinns is a movie about a magical nanny that shows up when needed and leaves when the family has learned the necessary lesson she is there to teach. For the Banks family the family needed to love one another and let that love spread out from them to the entire community. Mr. Banks was the one who needed to learn the most. He needed to learn to stop and listen to the call for attention and love from others. He needed to learn to listen to his children and their needs.

While at the D23 Expo I had the pleasure of listening to Richard Sherman, ½ of the Sherman Brothers team that wrote the music for Mary Poppins. What was amazing is hearing him talk about one particular song, Feed the Birds. He spoke lovingly of how he and his brother Bob had played a series of songs for Walt Disney and when finished Walt walked over to the window overlooking the studio lot and said, “Play that bird song again.” So they did. After hearing it again Walt softly spoke, “That is the entire point of the movie. Love, caring and helping others.”

From the first time Walt heard “Feed the Birds” it was his favorite song. When Walt was having a bad day, or later when he was ill and not feeling well he would call “The Boys” (Richard and Robert Sherman) into his office and ask them to play “the Bird Song” for him. Richard Sherman said it brought him peace and made him happy.

Here are the lyrics of Feed the Birds:

Early each day to the steps of Saint Paul’s

The little old bird woman comes.

In her own special way to the people she calls,

“Come, buy my bags full of crumbs.”

“Come feed the little birds, show them you care,

And you’ll be glad if you do –

Their young ones are hungry, their nests are so bare;

All it takes is tuppence from you.”

Feed the birds, tuppence a bag,

Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag.

“Feed the birds,” that’s what she cries,

While overhead, her birds fill the skies.

All around the cathedral, the saints and apostles

Look down as she sells her wares;

Although you can’t see it, you know they are smiling

Each time someone shows that he cares.

Though her words are simple and few,

Listen, listen, she’s calling to you –

“Feed the birds, tuppence a bag,

Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag

(interlude)

Through her words are simple and few,

Listen, Listen, she’s calling to you –

“Feed the birds, tuppence a bag,

Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag.”

This song, this sequence, this character (the Bird Lady) is key to the entire story and the enduring success and warmth of this movie. It calls us to a higher purpose and reminds us to love. We as broken, damaged people yet we know we should love and we want to love. We just need the reminder. This song calls out to those hearing the Bird Lady to stop and take the time to care about something/someone outside of themselves. Even is a small way.

There is also a call to us “Birds” that are in need. The Birds gather when the Bird Lady is calling out for help. We should not reject offered help when we need it. It is a blessing for those giving as it is a blessing for us to receive.

In John 15:9-13 Jesus says,

Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you: stay in my love. If you follow my directions, you shall live in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and live in His love. I say these things to you that my joy will be in you, and that you will be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. Greater love has no man that this, that a man lays down his life for his friends.

Jesus is saying that love comes from God and to Him and then to us. It is His command – rule – order for us to love others. This is a rule that only brings us joy to comply with. If we follow these directions we will live in love and our lives will be complete.

So when you hear the call to care do so when you can. Feed the Birds, show you care. Is there a neighbor that needs their walk shoveled after the snow? Is there someone that needs a meal dropped off because they are busy taking care of a sick family member or suffering a loss? How about just a smile! Did you know a smile is worth more than a million dollars to someone lost and hurting?

How will you “Feed the Birds” today?