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My February harp programs always pass too fast to play all the romantic music associated with the harp.

After classics like “I Love You Truly” and “Moon River,” I focused my February programs on waltzs. Everyone tells me that the harp is a very soothing instrument, so to keep my audience awake I played “Beautiful Dreamer, Awake Unto Me.” I then danced quickly through the “Tennessee Waltz” which tells of a couple who break up and the “Anniversary Waltz” which celebrates a couple that stay together. And no waltz set is complete without the beautiful, classical “Blue Danube.”

I had one more waltz, “Annie’s Song” by John Denver. Last fall, an audience member requested that I play some John Denver music and in all my eighteen year old ignorance I asked, “Who’s John Denver?”

Fortunately, my family educated me over Christmas break. This year, I was able to go back and play for that lady several Denver melodies, including Annie’s Song which quickly became my favorite. His lyrics “You fill up my senses, come fill me again” so beautifully captures the feeling of romance while the tune itself fills the sense of hearing with sweetness.

But I chose to finish my programs with another kind of love that not only fills but overflows our senses. The words of the hymn say, “The Love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell.” Since words are never enough, I try to express some of His love in the sounds of music but even those soon become silent. However, though those sounds fade and the month for romantic songs is past, I am confident that the Love of God

“How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song.”

Come hear my next public program live at 6 PM on March 14 at the Warsaw Public Library. You can also hear my monthly programs on second and third Thursdays of every month. See my Events page for details.

May the Love of God be with you always!

One break on, one break off, the Alzheimer’s resident in the wheel chair was pushing himself round and round in a circle. I was playing some of the romantic waltzes I mentioned in last week’s post to a group of Alzheimer’s patients. Most of them were fascinated by the music. One lady repeatedly asked me how long I’ve been playing harp, saying “wow” every time I replied. Another gentleman proclaimed that he wished I would never stop. But the man in the wheel chair didn’t seem to be aware of the music. He just muttered numbers and pushed himself round and round, one wheel locked in place.

As I watched over my music stand, his circle was a perfect symbol of memory loss. In five years of playing in senior communities, I have had many conversations that seem to be on a loop. They ask the same question (“How long have you played?”) and I give the same answer (“Nine and a half years”) every five minutes.

But you don’t have to have memory loss to feel like you are going in circles. We all fall into patterns that feel like they are going nowhere. For me it is school and practice and more school,  the circle of get up, work, study and go to bed. Sometimes, my wheels feel locked.

But as I listened closer, I started to understand the numbers the man was saying. “One, two, three. One (push), two (push), three (push).” He was waltzing to my harp music through his wheelchair.

Routines and Alzheimer’s aren’t the only things that go around in circles. As I walked out of that facility into a surprisingly temperate day, (this was Monday, before the snow slid in) I threw my arms back and turned around. Dancers and praisers also turn circles. And like that gentleman in the wheel chair, they continuing turning all the live long day.

I want my circles to be waltzes of praise.

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

“If you want to get up and dance, feel free–but you might want to consult your healthcare professional first.”

In all the years I have used this line in senior facilities to introduce waltzes, The Tennessee Waltz, Blue Danube, Annie’s Song, no one has ever taken me seriously. Until this week. As I played my Valentine’s day program for a family night at a senior home, a middle aged son pulled his resident mother to her feet. They waltzed very slowly, yet were some of the most beautiful dancers I have ever seen.

Pulling together my Valentines music earlier, I realized that most of my love songs were waltzes or some cousin of 3/4 time. When we normally think of romantic love as between two people, why is the best romantic music based on counting three?

My mother describes love to me by holding her fingers in a triangle. “The bottom two points are your father and me, the top point is Jesus. Since we both love Jesus first, we are able to love each other.”

So three is the number of true love, the kind of love we celebrate and sing about on Valentine’s Day, the kind of love that isn’t just between a man and a woman but between friends and between family. And that is something to dance about.

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.