Today was fantastic. Chapter 1. A voice student who has studied with me for about a year told me that he sat at a piano in a posh ski resort lobby over the weekend and started playing & singing songs. People were convinced he did it for a living. The prospect of performing in public used to terrify him. He loved every minute of his impromptu performance, and so did his audience. (P.S. The same student brought me four boxes/bags of chocolate for Christmas, so, if you are my friend or a homeless person in Laguna and you see me in the next day or two, chances are, youre getting chocolate.) Chapter 2. I met with my friend Eric and we headed down to Mission Hospital in Laguna Beach to sing Christmas carols for the patients/staff. We were warmly received. (for the most part, some folks just dont dig carols.) An 89 year old man named Mr. Bruno was walking around the corridor escorted by a nurse, and his smile stole my heart. He stopped to hear a song, complimented us and returned to his room. A few minutes later, we were told that someone else wanted to hear a song. Lo and behold, it was Mr. Bruno, back in his room, grinning from ear to ear as we gave him his own private concert. He was moving his feet to the music, bed dancing, and mouthing the words to all of the songs. At certain moments we couldnt look at him because his presence moved us to tears. I cant sufficiently describe Mr. Bruno. All I can say is that he exuded a warmth, a kindness and a joy from within that I hope to touch someday. In his hospital bed, during the holidays, he was genuinely happy. The nurse taking care of him was beaming. She knew he was a treasure, just like we did. Chapter 3. We decided to play a couple of carols downtown. We got through one song, and a lady who had listened to the song with her granddaughter insisted that we take $20. We decided to quit while we were ahead. Eric enjoyed a libation and I pocketed my share. Afterwards, we headed back to Erics beautiful home, where his lovely and amazing wife Elena had prepared a delicious Italian meal for a small group of friends. The table was awash with candlelight, green garlands, laughter, and meaningful conversation. We ended the evening by playing more music and counting our blessings. Im feeling wealthy beyond measure tonight, and I cant help wondering if this is the way Mr. Bruno feels every day.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 08:35:58 +0000
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