As Time Goes By

I feel as though I never have to work a single day in my life. It's true! I earn my living by sharing the gift of music. There are many times, however, that I receive a greater blessing in return. 

Each month, I perform at the Long Term Care & Rehabilitation Center at The Village at Orchard Ridge here in Winchester, VA. I've been doing hour-long shows there since they opened the new facility earlier this year. Typically, it is a small group of attendees, but they are faithful to come for performance.

I'm thinking of a special couple that I visit with during each performance. Even after decades of marriage, they are still madly in love with each other. He resides at the rehabilitation center, while his wife lives in the independent living portion of Orchard Ridge. 

He has his good days and his bad days. You see, he is in the later stages of Parkinson's Disease. His verbal communication is limited, but he is still able to respond through facial expressions and other physical gestures. For the most part, he is still well aware of his surroundings - namely, his wife. 

The majority of my program was filled with uptempo swing numbers. Toward the end, however, I began to sing some of the more sentimental ballads - I'm in the Mood for Love, The Song Is You, and Stardust just to name a few. 

As I began to sing those ballads, she began to gaze at her husband and sing those ballads in his ear. While his gaze remained fixed on me at the piano, I knew that he was hearing those words being sung by his wife... words that carry an even greater meaning at this stage in their lives. 

Those two folks have been through heaven and hell together, but their undying love has kept them strong up to this point in life. It's tough sometimes to accept bad news in life, and I know that these past few years have been a struggle for them. Yet, even in spite of those struggles, their love for one another is unwavering. Today, I got to witness an example of that during my performance. What a privilege.

Music is indeed a powerful tool. For every emotion known to man, there seems to be a song that goes right along with it. 

Today, music was used to help two people express their love for one another. It brings me great joy to be just a small part in helping others express themselves through the gift of music. Thank you, Father, for this precious treasure.