Part 167 Let there be songs!


My niece’s wedding is next on the agenda. Our family stops on the way to pick up my mother, and we stay for a quick drink before finding ourselves in a serious traffic jam heading to Katy due to road construction. Brooke somehow manages to loose the directions to the wedding and we find the place just on the downbeat before the wedding starts. The setting is beautiful and the wedding is outdoors. Dinner is inside – for me that means shrimp appetizers, roasted potatoes, green beans, salad, and slices of both Grand Marnier and chocolate cakes. The girls enjoyed the candy bar (it seems everyone has one of these now) and dancing to the DJ’s music.

At bedtime one night Bree finds herself inspired to write songs. I pull out a book of Bob Dylan song lyrics and read them to her, tentatively, as I fear she might find them bizarre. In fact, she seems intrigued by the poems.

The music thread continues one afternoon at Brooke’s pre-kindergarten school. She and her friends are dressed as turkeys for a Thanksgiving program. She is standing on the highest row, centered. Brooke belts out every tune with total confidence as her little friends bend their heads toward her to catch the lyrics. I am laughing out loud, she is so good and confident.

I have a very busy Wednesday at work, lost in the pace so much that I barely slow down. I am happy to have the stamina to do this. I listen to Christmas music in the car on the way to my first choir practice in months. I am eagerly rushing toward the holidays this year. I even know one of the songs the choir is practicing, glad that I am not completely behind on it. John Rutter’s “Gloria”, however, is another matter.

The next morning, November 17, is Brooke’s birthday. She turns five today. Bree is being the sweet big sister (as she can be at times) and sings a song that she has written for the occasion.

Music is a tonic that simply makes everything in life better.