In high school, if you didn't know me then, I was in chorus. Well, I wasn't in only one chorus, but by my senior year, I had worked my schedule to be in ALL of them. There were 3; Concert Choir, Golden Blues (showchoir), and the Chamber Choir.
I LOVE to sing. I sing most all of the time. Even when people talk, I take their words and relate them to a song...I can't seem to help it.
That year, my senior year, I worked very very hard at sight reading, picking pitches, hitting notes, combining voices with my alto neighbor etc. in preparation for All-State Choir try-outs. Our teacher gave us hymnals and we learned to sightread from those hymnals. It was tough, but I absolutely loved every minute of it. After our months of practicing, it was time, and I made the All-State chorus...the mixed chorus...the highest honor! It was amazing.
This past weekend, I joined our church choir as we prepare to sing a few songs during the holiday. As I slid to the front of the pew for good singing posture, opened the hymnal to a song I did not know, the sweet conductor made a comment that made my heart drop, and tears flow freely and uncontrollably. She said, "Let's worship together just as my dear friend is worshipping God in heaven now because she just left us and she had a beautiful voice." I tried to dry my eyes, but everything that happened from that point on only magnified my angst. I attempted to sing and got a few notes out and recognized the sound when 2 alto voices sound so similar that it almost sounds like one...
You see, while all of those beautiful memories were being made in high school...I was also making a beautiful friendship with my sweet sweet Carla. I sat next to her. We were fellow altos. We learned together. We sightread together. We danced together in show choir. And we were always trying to help each other...and worked toward the ultimate goal of making our voices sound as one...But what brought tears to my eyes the most, was imagining Carla, now, in heaven with our Comforter, Counselor, Mighty God...singing His praises.
I finished choir practice and made it to my car where I just cried out to God...and in my pain from having lost this incredible friend, I was comforted in the confidence I have knowing she is singing with my Father, and that one day, I can sit next to her again, and sing with her again...Ultimate Praises to Him.
2 comments:
Allison - that is so beautiful - I am crying reading this. I don't hsve any other words other than I am praying for you as you deal with this grief, and I am so thankful that you have that wonderful image in your head of Carla.
That is awesome - Thanks for sharing. I think of her everyday don't you?
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