Normally, I don’t consider a moan a positive response to my music. But I had to reconsider.
I was unpacking Maewyn, my walk a’bout harp, in a senior facility where I had never played before. A black nurse, exuding all the joy of a gospel choir, trilled to me “Oh honey, I’m so glad you’re here. We have a gentleman who is ‘in transition’ and he is all alone. Will you come play for him?”
I thought in transition meant that this resident was moving in or relocating from one room to another. But as I followed into the dim doorway and saw the silent gentleman, thin and fragile as a stick of sugar, I realized she meant transition from this world to heaven. Asleep, he already seemed half there.
I began to play “Blessed Assurance.” The black nurse brought in a nurse wearing all pink who put her hand on the gentleman’s chest. Amazed, she twisted toward the black nurse. “He’s moaning!” she exclaimed in an excited stage whisper.
I wondered what I was doing wrong. But then the black nurse put her hand over his heart. “He’s singing to the music,” she explained with tears in her eyes.
Later they informed me that they hadn’t had a response from this gentleman in several days. The music had awakened his heart though all he could express were moans.
How do you hear when someone else’s heart song matches your own? The two nurses showed me that sometimes you have to reach out and touch the heart. Sometimes you need to bring the Blessed Assurance of knowing Christ.