Last week was cold and wet. Rain, snow flurries, sleet. Temps in the 20’s at night. With all the gray, wet days it might have been easy to slip into the last of winter doldrums. But I have the cure for blue moods.
As the days progressed from gray to grayer, the buds on my forsythia kept opening wider as though their mission was to compensate for the lack of sunlight.
This week we’re experiencing clear skies and balmy spring weather. And the forsythia is in full glory. I could just crawl in and build a nest right here.
Even so, there’s nothing wrong with being a little blue now and then.
Filed under: Music
I bought a copy of Tom Moon’s “1,000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die.” It’s a thick book. I’ve been wading through it for two weeks and have only scratched the surface. Reading it is a very humbling experience for a music professional. Makes me realize that even though I eat, sleep and breathe music, there is always more of the art form to experience. What Mr. Moon has compiled is so much more than a list of “must hear” recordings. It is a comprehensive tribute to the one truly universal language……music.
I love the Henry David Thoreau quote found on one of the opening pages. “When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest.”
If you’re into music, this is a book you should consider adding to your reading list.
Filed under: Family
My niece, Madison is an athlete in the truest sense of the word. She has a God-given gift to excel in just about any physical task she undertakes. As I watched her play in the 5A junior girls’ district basketball championship game, I was filled with pride and awe. Literally amazed at her athletic prowess. Madison isn’t quite 5 feet tall yet she has a vertical jump that is higher than any other girl on the team. Time after time she was in the midst of a cluster of girls under the goal. Time after time she rose above them to rebound the ball.
Of course I love it when she shoots and scores, but what I enjoy watching the most is Madison stealing the ball. She is like a mosquito or an annoying little gnat that keeps on coming no matter how many times you swat it away. Girls on the opposing team would be dribbling and Madison would simply run up and steal the ball in mid-dribble. She is so small and so fast. One second the opposing girl would be in control. The next second Madison would have the ball without any obvious disruption in the bounce of the basketball. Girls would turn their backs to put their bodies between Madison and the ball and Madison would just run around them and still take it away. It is so cool to watch.
Madison just never stops. She isn’t a prima donna either. She leads her team in assists. For the second year in a row, the junior Lady Lions won the district championship. And for the second year in a row, I cried at a basketball game. Madison melts my heart. I admire her so much. And every time I watch her play, I learn from her. Lessons in perseverance, grace, humility and sacrifice for something greater than the individual.
A Day In The Life 