This song was sung to me by my mother when I was a child and now is being passed down to the next generations. I tried to look up its origin, but I could not find out, other than it is in the public domain:
Tell me why the stars do shine,
Tell me why the ivy twines,
Tell me why the skies are blue,
And I will tell you just why I love you.
Because God made the stars to shine,
Because God made the ivy twine,
Because God made the sky so blue,
Because God made you, that's why I love you.
It has a very simple, soothing tune. I have watched as little ones relax and seem to understand the words. It can be part of the bedtime routine. I like to take the toddlers and look out the window and say goodnight to all the animals, seen or unseen - we start with the usual ones one might find in the neighborhood like a cat, dog, bird; then we move on to the barnyard animals such as the horse, cow, pig; and next we say good night to some zoo animals such as the elephant, giraffe, and panda bear. A prayer is said thanking God for the family members and ask that He watch over them while they sleep. And then I sing a couple of songs, including Tell Me Why. Their bodies stretch out and turn over, their minds drift off to a place where they know they are safe and secure.
I hope you can end your day the same way - saying goodnight through a mental checklist, thanking God for the ones you care about, and perhaps remembering an old tune or church hymn that warms your heart and lets you drift off to sleep.
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