But first last night …

I played two cello pieces at an concert.  The clock was ticking towards my time and I was scared.  Long ago when I played as a teen, it was always in a group.  At last November’s concert I was solo.  And again yesterday.

My friend Boaz and two of his friends were there to support me.  As I readied my bow for the first note, I forgot to look at them.  But they were cheering me on, I know.

I kept my word to myself: I played with passion!  The notes were scattered good and bad.  The sweetness of the sound came and went.  But my head didn’t drop during the bad times.  Mostly I swayed to the melody I was creating.  It was the cello and me and the music – everybody loving everybody.

Once I played a note that was far from correct.  Not just an error in intonation: a completely different note.  And my face smiled!  No thought, just an upturn of lips.  That’s my happiest memory of being onstage.

Boaz and friends beamed at me after I sat back down.  Later he texted me:

You definitely reached the audience with your passion for the cello

Cool

***

By the way, I’m on a bus to Düsseldorf, Germany.  Tonight I hear Jacob Collier in concert.  He’s a 30-year-old British singer who gets his audiences singing with him.  He’ll point to one section of the arena, sing a harmony line, and ask that group to sing it.  Then another pointing, and another harmony.  Repeat until the choir swells.

More of Jacob later.

***

I had breakfast at Panos Langemunt and invited a fellow to join me.  He and I had said hi to each other for months but had never talked.  Now was the time.

He told me of a terrible thing that had happened to him, and the impact that had on his children.  He also said that he’d moved on from the trauma and was now happy.

I thought of what would be helpful to him.  Much of his story had common ground with my journey, and I thought of sharing my experiences, but held back.  And I’m glad I did.

Instead I gave him all my attention and asked questions that hopefully would encourage him to go deeper.  Mostly I just listened.  It was a good meeting of the hearts.

***

Here I am with my farmer’s pizza in Café Botschaft in Düsseldorf, contemplating the rest of my life … or at least Jacob’s concert tonight.  That fellow on my right, and his friends, have been helping me understand how to buy tram and bus tickets.  No doubt it’s easy when you know how to do it.

And then there’s Jacob.  I’m so looking forward to singing!  It’s a joy in my life.  I’ll tell you all about the concert tomorrow … no doubt smiling all the while.