music
Silently the old and worn violin hangs on the wall near the mantle. A few simple repairs would bring it back to a usable state. It occupies that space as a reminder of the richness of life that includes the past. My first glimpse at the instrument was near an old storage area in our attic. I was near ten years of age and wanted to know more about the origin of this finely shaped, but mouse chewed device. My mother recounted the cold winter evenings around the old fireplace of her youth as her father made the room come alive with the melodic tones he and his fiddle produced so well. I remember the glow in my mother’s eyes as she recalled the joy she had experienced at the gifted hands of her father as his music filled the air. Grandpa Davis had died of pneumonia in the 1920’s, leaving his wife and seven young daughters. The stories of their survival and ultimate thriving could fill a novel. Some repairs to the instrument brought it to a condition that allowed me to take some lessons when I was but a lad. I wondered what it must have sounded like when Grandpa played it near the old fireplace of my mother’s youth. Silently it hangs now as a prompter of memories that bring it alive in the mind of this beholder. Gratitude fills my heart for memories of the past that bring richness in the present. A thankful heart provides the rich soil in which fond memories sprout into the sunshine of today!
By: Cathy Garrott
Music has always been a part of my life. My earliest memories of family gatherings include everyone gathering to sing together at some point before we headed home. We would beg my Dad’s oldest sister to play “just one more” song before we had to go. She played in what we now call “Southern Gospel” style, hitting every key on the keyboard as she blended the notes together in mesmerizing beauty. My Mom’s oldest sister played the piano for her church … stately, high church music … which instilled in me a love for more classical types of music as well. I loved hearing high school bands, as well as professional orchestras, blending their instruments together to make the music come alive as they played.
To me, music has always meant “family.” We could quickly put aside any disagreements and find unity in making a melody from our differences (soprano, alto, tenor, bass, etc.) … ending our visits on a very happy note. 🙂 God has used this lesson from music to help me see that in life there are many different parts, but if put together in the right way we can, indeed, make beautiful music together. Now I am a member of the PD family … and I’m finding out how one person’s experience can help someone else get through another trial, another day, another valley. As we share what we learn from our own experiences, we build a stronger sense of family … where we can be different, but perhaps we can bring some harmony into the lives of those around us as we put our voices together.
I want to share this song with you – it has really blessed and encouraged me. The video and the sound are not matched up well in this rendition of it, but I love the spirit of the song in this … http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3UndvbYqJs