Blessed
On Monday morning I mentioned an open mic adventure I was going on that night. Then yesterday morning, I wrote about the trellis I built on Monday. Today, I think I’ll talk about Monday night. It was fun. It was fabulous. It was a great adventure. My fingers seemed to work on the guitar and my brain mostly remembered the lyrics. I had one small hiccup during the first tune but managed pretty well after that. A few strangers came up afterward and said they liked my songs.
There was a good group of friends there as well, which for me was the sweetest part of the evening. They kept me calm before I went on and gave me praise when I came off. It was like falling from a great height and having a feather pillow to land on, soft and embracing. And other friends who were missing, sent texts and words of encouragement, and still others said they wanted to come the next time we did it. And I say we because I wasn’t alone performing, my good friend Rob also went up on stage and did three songs as well and was a big hit. We’re going to do it again.
And I have to say that making music as an end-of-life activity is satisfying. My oldest son told me it was what the younger me always wanted to do and now I have the time and opportunity. That feels right. And when I say end of life, I just mean I’m older now, and rather than being an up and comer, I’m a come and goner. Now I’m doing music for the pleasure it brings me. I get to play for my friends and with them, and play guitar with my kids, and noodle and learn new things about music and my instrument. So, it feels like, at some point, I might be able to depart this vale of tears with a song in my heart. Right now, I feel blessed.
John W. Wilson is the author of The Long Goodbye: A Caregiver’s Tale