I’ve been skirting the edges of the slough of despond, dirtying the. tips of my shoes, but not quite falling in. I felt like my body had risen up against me again, and had become a battlefield of opposing wills. Things are getting better, but some days progress does not seem fast enough.
Sometimes however just getting out and doing something is a step in the right direction. The December concert for the Knoxville Symphony’s Q Series features the brass quintet. There is nothing like a little brass to brighten the holidays and chase away the blues.
The first half of the concert featured standards of the brass repertoire and the premier of a new work by Kevin Day, “Sing to the Moon”. This work was softer, and far more contemplative than I expected. It was both questioning, almost melancholic in places, and yet also uplifting. Perhaps just what I needed to listen to on that particular day.
In the introduction to the piece we were told that Kevin Day would have an opera premiering at the Cincinnati Opera next year. I liked this piece so much that I looked it up. The Opera, Lalovavi, will be performed next summer. The music is by Kevin Day and the Libretto by Tifara Brown, a poet whose work I also admire. I am seriously considering going. The picture above is from the CIncinatti Opera website and the link to the opera is here. I can hear the classic repertoire anytime, but opportunities to hear and see something new are special and I am intrigued to venture off into the unknown.
After the break the musicians returned in their Christmas Sweaters and the holiday music began. My spirits lifted higher and higher. I will admit however that I wanted to merengue around the room to Feliz Navidad.
Rather than dancing, I started writing Christmas cards, a kind of dance with words I suppose. I hadn’t written holiday cards, or letters in a decade or so. I lost the will after George died, and yet this year that spark was kindled.
I also laid out an embroidery project. I spent a good bit of time on Thursday working on that, and will work on it again today. I can’t show you newer pictures though.
And, in case all I really needed was to make some forward progress on one front or another, I finally got past the point in my mohair sweater where I had ripped back all the yarn. I have about two more inches on the body to knit. I am not sure I will have enough of the solid color yarn to knit the sleeves, but I will finish the body first, weigh the remaining yarn and then figure out my options.
But once again I am determined, and the slough is behind me now, fading into the distance.