Interesting Goings-On

Precious water.

 Hale play on Thursday.  Intermission.  We're doing our usual stand and eat our little chocolate sweet (brought from home).  The people in the seats next to The Husband come back from their trip to the snack bar, hold out a couple water bottles and say, here, I brought these for you.  Our puzzlement evident on our faces, we stammer out a thank you so much.  I finally lean over and ask if we can please pay.  No, he says, I need the blessings.   I'm still not quite sure what to think - having never seen or spoken to this man before.  But, yes, very kind.  I'm savoring the bottle, will open it when I'm ready for the refreshment to both body and soul that will surely come from an unexpectedly generous person.

Friday night.  Our free tickets to the symphony.  So looking forward to a couple hours of classical music.  Our seats - fabulous: row 13 seats 2,4 - smack dab center.  Roughly a third of the way through the concert there's a bit of a kerfuffle directly in front of the conductor.  (Who, by the way, hadn't even a music stand in front of him, much less any music to direct a full orchestra through two hours of music.  Astounding.) Pretty quick, the viola players are lowering a fellow player to the floor.  The hall is pretty silent. I can see the feet of the musician, they are shaking and trembling.  A seizure.  Paramedics came, finally; it felt like it took them eons to arrive and they came in calmly which I'm thinking more and more about.  Rushing might really make things worse for everyone.  After more long eons, the musician is transferred to a gurney and wheeled out, looking too still and pale.  Concert finally cancelled. Refunds or replacement tickets will be issued.  I always have questions, and rarely do I get the answers or even the "rest of the story".  Latest word was that James, the musician,  was conscious and under medical supervision.  Less information than we would like, but hope is in our hearts.  It was such a scary situation.   Was grateful to be aware that the audience was pretty quiet and respectful throughout the process.  We'll go to a different concert in a couple weeks.  Prayers are said for that man.

Saturday afternoon.  Headed across the valley for a loved one's wedding shower. The Husband stayed outside, along with the other granddad and the bride's Dad.  I was in and out pretty quick.  I think it bothered the Dad that I didn't stay longer.  Didn't really have a reason to stay, didn't really know most of the people there, except a few of the "outlaws" (other side of the bride's extended family) that we never see and don't have any interaction with.  Met the mother of the groom and they seem like lovely people.  Been comparing my quick in-and-out-make-sure-I-attend presence to a birthday party that was given for me and the bride's mom sat removed from the group with her back to everyone.  Which is worse, I wonder.  I certainly smarted over my treatment that day. I hope I didn't come across that unkind with my very short bridal shower visit.  

Sunday church.  I'm still learning.  Had a button set on the organ. Didn't like the way it was sounding.  I've always figured I'm barely capable of the basics and once I get the settings on the organ done, they're good for the entire meeting, right?  One and done.  My favorite.  Took a risk and quick as I could (in the middle of a verse) poked the button to turn off that setting.  Made me just a fraction of a second slower on the next chord, but oh, wow, did it sound better.  Won't use that particular setting any more.  Lesson learned.

It's cold again today,  rained pretty steady through the night Saturday and off and on yesterday and through the night.  We did manage a quick stroll around the neighborhood to clear the brain cobwebs during a brief stretch of sunshine.  I'm still in wool socks and sweater.  By the weekend we'll be in short sleeves and having the air in the house cooled. Yep, spring in Utah.

Am so grateful today for a kind friend who responded so encouragingly to my discouraged state.  Reminding me that I could give up, stay in bed with the covers over my head and ignore my personal struggle.  She said she sees me fighting hard to do my best to be a good person and support all the members of my family.  It makes me cry to even think about how that affected me.  She saw the need I had to feel heard, seen and cared for and filled that need in a beautiful way.  How grateful I am for her. 

We won't be taking the trip we were so kindly invited on.  The Mediterranean would be so beautiful and all those stops the cruise ship makes in Italy where I've always wanted to go would be so fabulous.  But it's ok.  The worst that can happen if we don't go?  Nothing really.  Except we miss out on a fun time with our friends.  I am determined to find a trip to go on that we can actually manage.  Everyone needs something to look forward to.  I'm grateful for hope that I can find that something.