Music's Power

I went to sing carols at the nursing home last night. I hate nursing homes. They make me sad and they make me miss my Mom and Dad and they smell funny. But I felt a teeny obligated to go with the rest of the Relief Society, cause I'm a good Mormon I needed to prove that I could. (is there a word for nursing home phobia?)

As we sang all the standards, I started watching one particular grandma in a wheel chair at the very back of the room. At first I wasn't even sure she was aware of her surroundings. Her face was emotionless as she barely looked up.

As our music continued a few minutes more, she seemed to brighten some, but it was still difficult to tell if she even knew we were there...

Then she began to mouth a few words of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, She is there I thought, smiling.

 Near the end of our time there, came a beautiful flute solo, Oh Holy Night. And I watched the grandma in the back row. There a few bars in was an instant recognition and the light returned, as she looked directly at us. Then she began to sing and clap quietly along, she knew every single word.

I was so touched as I witnessed the power of music in the grandma in the back row.

 And then I thought of my Dad...he didn't always know us, but he never forgot his favourite composers or symphonies or jazz harmonies.

Music will always have a beautiful power.