Long ago... when I was 13 (seems in another lifetime now) I met a girl named Leigh, with whom I struck up a longtime best friendship till after I married. Leigh's mom, Ginny, was a member of the church choir at the church where I attended and where I was married.
I had been a member of the Junior Choir, as was Leigh, for a short time. When the choir director heard my voice, I was asked me join the senior choir, and Leigh also joined senior choir. We did most everything together in those days.
As a soprano, I sat with Ginny and the other sopranos, many of whom were much older ladies (Ginny was in her mid-to-late 30's then), while Leigh, an alto, sat with the altos. So Leigh and her mom, Ginny, were a very special part of my life for a long time- just because choir was a special treat in my life. I have sung such a volume of sacred music, standing next to Ginny, in our wine-colored robes. She was supportive of me, the young whippersnapper with the big voice. We laughed and we shared alot over a number of years, in choir together.
Ginny and my mom came to get Leigh and I from camp (where I eventually met my husband some years later) the first year we went to camp together. We coordinated in subsequent years, so that we went at the same time and our parents could divide up the taking to and the bringing home from camp. Many's the miles I have ridden in Ginny's little red, VW squareback.
Anyhow...Ginny gave me the courage to join bigger choirs and to try more difficult music such as Handel's Messiah, and others. What a lovely voice she had. And she was very generous with our teenage shenanigans in her house, when I would stay overnight with Leigh and her sister Lynn. We always had some crazy thing going on.
Today my mom called me to inform me of Ginny's passing to the next world. I was taken by surprise, and the shock has left me feeling as if time is catching up with me, from behind, if you can see what I am saying. Even with folks like this with whom I had lost touch over the years, I truly felt that if they were still around, then all was right. Now one of those folks, from earlier in my life, someone who "gave" me a best friend in her daughter, for years, someone who brought out my best voice and self, and someone who cared, is gone from this world. And the world is feeling a bit diminished for me today, and I am feeling a bit older.
Now that I am a pagan, I am no less touched by cherished memories of a valued past that continues to have much value for me in the present.
Today, I still see Ginny as she was to me, in her mid-to-late 30's, singing like a lark and laughing freely, giving of herself generously- A beautiful person, and one of many who helped me become me. She was only 65.
Joyce in the mts.
I had been a member of the Junior Choir, as was Leigh, for a short time. When the choir director heard my voice, I was asked me join the senior choir, and Leigh also joined senior choir. We did most everything together in those days.
As a soprano, I sat with Ginny and the other sopranos, many of whom were much older ladies (Ginny was in her mid-to-late 30's then), while Leigh, an alto, sat with the altos. So Leigh and her mom, Ginny, were a very special part of my life for a long time- just because choir was a special treat in my life. I have sung such a volume of sacred music, standing next to Ginny, in our wine-colored robes. She was supportive of me, the young whippersnapper with the big voice. We laughed and we shared alot over a number of years, in choir together.
Ginny and my mom came to get Leigh and I from camp (where I eventually met my husband some years later) the first year we went to camp together. We coordinated in subsequent years, so that we went at the same time and our parents could divide up the taking to and the bringing home from camp. Many's the miles I have ridden in Ginny's little red, VW squareback.
Anyhow...Ginny gave me the courage to join bigger choirs and to try more difficult music such as Handel's Messiah, and others. What a lovely voice she had. And she was very generous with our teenage shenanigans in her house, when I would stay overnight with Leigh and her sister Lynn. We always had some crazy thing going on.
Today my mom called me to inform me of Ginny's passing to the next world. I was taken by surprise, and the shock has left me feeling as if time is catching up with me, from behind, if you can see what I am saying. Even with folks like this with whom I had lost touch over the years, I truly felt that if they were still around, then all was right. Now one of those folks, from earlier in my life, someone who "gave" me a best friend in her daughter, for years, someone who brought out my best voice and self, and someone who cared, is gone from this world. And the world is feeling a bit diminished for me today, and I am feeling a bit older.
Now that I am a pagan, I am no less touched by cherished memories of a valued past that continues to have much value for me in the present.
Today, I still see Ginny as she was to me, in her mid-to-late 30's, singing like a lark and laughing freely, giving of herself generously- A beautiful person, and one of many who helped me become me. She was only 65.
Joyce in the mts.
It's hard to imagine some people gone from us... Sending you warm thoughts from here. Thank you for sharing.
mb
