Her music drew me over to another part of the waiting area. She looked up from the piano, met my smile with a shy one of her own. Fur Elise spilled from her fingers like water singing over a brook. I sat, closed my eyes, breathed in the peace of it. As she came to a close, a nurse wheeled in a drawn-looking patient, moved near the piano.
“So lovely,” the patient murmured.
Her nurse nodded. “We thought we’d just get out for some fresh sights, and your playing brought us here,” she remarked.
“Do you play here everyday?” I asked.
“Just Tuesdays. I like to come after going to chapel, and then I stay and play until late afternoon,” she explained.
I took in her bent-over frame, silver-white hair framing her face, over-sized glasses perched on her nose. Dressed nicely as for church, in violet floral dress, matching solid jacket. She stood shakily to finger through her music books for another selection, revealing those sturdy, if comfortable, white shoes of the elderly…and nurses. I thought how she could have chosen to stay home and just be comfy in everyday clothes…had probably earned it after a life of her own joys and struggles… but she chose to give of her gift. Bring healing and light as only music can do. Her fingers sometimes gave out on her…but it didn’t matter. Even now, she had the aura of one who had once played flawlessly, elegantly… I pictured her as a younger woman, wished I could know a bit of her story. But then…it was there before us… on the keys she played.
“How about “Over the Rainbow?” she offered us.
“Oh, yes…” breathed the sick woman.
Mmm… always one of my absolute favorites.
From her first note, I could feel tears welling… even as Judy did to me the first time ever I heard that heart-stirring melody…and every time since.
She surprised me as she began to sing then…softly, as she played… her voice a bit quavery now, hinting of once-loveliness, still true. A tangibly holy moment…moving me so deeply I had to turn my face away, feeling the sorrow of the sick woman beside me… praying for us all…
Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true.
Someday I’ll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far
Behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That’s where you’ll find me…
I stared out the floor-to-ceiling windows all around us… recognized afresh the way this room was designed to bring beauty out of ashes, watched a golden shower of leaves dust the road outside like wings to the lush melody soaring around us… trying to hold back the tears at all this pure loveliness. And heart.
Autumn beauty… like angels on tiptoes, it comes when you least expect it…as a treasure to behold.
© Pam Depoyan
As I write these posts in celebration of fall, I’m linking up with Melissa Michaels at her beautiful inspired room.net where she has many warm and lovely ideas to make your home fall-cozy - see her welcome page for31 inspired days, along with the rest of the “31-dayers” who are also sharing various month-long inspirations!
I’ll tag these stories under the category of “Autumn Leaves.” Let us open this seasonal book together to find those “roses” tucked within their leaves…
Tags: music, peace, joy in Autumn
I love your last line…sigh (deeply)
Thanks, Diane! Those words just popped into my mind as I finished.