Today I missed the memorial service for someone who influenced not only my life, but many others. For many of us the influence was desperately deep, intensely personal and life-long. From Al Clifft I learned that small, quiet gestures - an arm squeeze while walking past, verbally noticing an improvement, a wink in the middle of a concert - are most often all that is needed to encourage growth, instill confidence or lift a spirit. But he also taught me that there is a time and place for loving in a BIG way that involves sacrifice, time, planning and effort. Even if that BIG thing is pulling 3 tour buses with 110+ college students off the freeway in Utah and putting them over an hour behind schedule....just to encircle one sick girl, her mom and her sister in the parking lot of the hospital to pray and sing over them. If you ever were on the bus with Al you know that he and Glenna almost ALWAYS sat in one of the front seats. Of course the night that I was sitting mid-bus having a quiet, but intense argument with someone happened to be the night that they chose a different seat. That moment when Als long arms circled around both of our seats, squeezing both of our shoulders and his face popped between our seats saying... Its usually better to use I phrases rather than you. An I feel or I thought will feel much less accusatory than anything that starts with You did and will be better heard. ...and then he was back in his seat again talking to Glenna. Thank you Al! Thank you for teaching me how to worship with a viola. For teaching me how to balance excellent musicianship and Spirit led freedom. Thank you for being an example of humble, imperfect, gentle leadership to a young student who lost all faith in leaders when her father completed his abandonment of her family right before she left for college. Thank you for loving all of us, every year, enough to learn our names before you even met us sometimes. For making our hearts more important than your choir. Thank you for teaching me how to fight in a way that expresses what Im experiencing while listening to what is being said to me in return. Thank you for creating and nurturing a place and an experience that was my home for four amazing years and that left an impact on me that will continue until I see you again...
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 03:05:22 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015