Lucky.

My final Christmas Festival concert has sung all the notes it has. It's been long, fun, stressful, annoying, exciting, exhausting. In short, though, I am glad it is over. It was good while it lasted. I don't really get choked up over choir stuff, either. Maybe I'm weird. It just never struck a harmonious chord with me. The aesthetic is lovely; the me singing in a choir, frustrating.

As with every year, the seniors give the devotions preceding the final concert, sharing memories of choir from the past four years. Some funny, some sad, some touching, some that make you think. My dear friend Haley gave us one of those that make you think.

Gratitude 143
Before heading to our six-hour dress rehearsal on Wednesday, Haley posted on her facebook that she was off to a very looooong rehearsal. When she got home, she received a comment posted beneath her post from a friend currently serving in a very dangerous part of the Middle East. It was one word. "Lucky." She said it made her cry, realizing that she was complaining about having to do something she didn't care to do, like sit through six hours of rehearsal, when one of her best friends was fighting for his life and ours, confronting the fearful face of death on a daily basis. We are lucky. All the silly, trivial things in our lives that we think are so awful, the stupid things we don't want to do that we complain about having to do. Are they really that bad? Was it that terrible to get to sing for six hours? We may not have wanted to be there for that long, but we are privileged beyond anything we know. It doesn't mean that our struggles or complaints are then unjustifiable. Rather, it is knowing that there are far more terrible things that could be, and we must humbly accept our own small challenges as we face life.

Of course, I had to follow her in the line of devotions. I added a little comic relief, I suppose, with my story: We were rehearsing in the hall for a concert our sophomore year, and Dr. Hasseler kept moving us into different configurations for one of the songs. At one point, the sopranos ended up on the steps up the stage, completely obliterated by the glass paneling in front of the steps. Haley and I looked at each other and said, "Well, this is going to be a problem." Haley replied with, "Yeah, it's like we're in a zoo. 'Don't tap on the glass! It'll scare the sopranos!'" haha! Oh, the moments of hilarity Haley and I share! Love it! :)

Dinner and drinks with Bryan's family at The Monk following the concert. Delicious! And some crazy laughs! ;) They are too sweet. Got to see Uncle Mick, too (Bryan's opera-buff uncle). He just makes me smile. :) ...And Dr. Hasseler was at the restaurant, too...

Now, it is back to the weekly grind. Last week of classes. Lots to get done before exam week, and even exam week is filled with lots to do. Intense opera rehearsal are imminent. Tons of music to memorize. Lesson tomorrow. Hopefully that goes better than this past week. ugh. That was nem jó. Voice is in a weird place right now since being sick. All will be well. And I'm pretty damn lucky to get to sing and study what I do. :)

Rob Bell at the Palace Theatre this Thursday night. Really want to go!!