Last evening was our annual "drive to Memphis, unload and set up equipment, practice with instrumentalists, tear down and reload equipment, drive back to Humboldt" night (some refer to it as the first Monday in December .. whatever).
There are many holiday traditions .. like carols by candlelight, communion on Christmas eve, and the hanging of the greens (not to be confused with the eating of the greens .. a southern favorite).
For our church pianist, organist, drummer .. ♪♫ Come, they told me, pa rum pa pum pum ♪♫ .. and me, it is going to Memphis on the Monday before our Christmas musical to rehearse with the members of the Bartlett Community Concert Band who will be playing for us.
Since their regular rehearsal is from 7 until 9 PM, we can't even begin to get started until after nine o'clock.
This was not an issue when I lived in Bartlett (I have a long-standing relationship with the BCCB .. occasionally they let me sit).
When I moved to Humboldt over ten years ago and asked if the group would like to continue playing for me, they said .. ROAD TRIP!
This was both exciting .. and challenging (that late night practice time is the biggest killer).
It's always midnight (or later) before we get home and over the years we have driven through rain, snow, sleet, hail and "dark of night" to get there.
None of us are getting any younger, you know .. with the exception of Katie and Dinah (they insist they have not aged over these ten years .. this doesn't make sense to me, but I wasn't a math major).
I asked Ben if he could envision us doing this for anther ten years. He didn't answer.
However, I saw a tear flow down his cheek.
Music can be very emotional.
"The elders have ceased gathering at the gate, And the young men from their music." - Lamentations 5:14
1 comment:
If you offered donuts for the road trip, they'd do it for the next 25 years!
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