The ordinary becomes extraordinary

An ordinary day sometimes becomes extraordinary. On Monday, January 23, I got a phone call from a dear friend of mine to say that his wife had suddenly collapsed, had no pulse and wasn’t breathing. He did CPR on her and after nearly two weeks in ICU, she’s recovering and is able to sit up on the edge of the bed for short periods of time. On that Monday, she was gone from this world for 10 minutes until the paramedics arrived and restarted her heart. If her husband had not done CPR, she would not be alive. On that same day, another friend of mine gave birth to her third son and that same week, another friend gave birth to her second daughter. One life nearly exited, two lives arrived.

In that week, my friends and their immediate families entered a place that only those who have experienced the truly life changing events like birth and death can truly understand. You become completely absorbed in the events that are taking place: the hospital, taking care of details, focusing on the fragile lives in hand. You find it incredulous and absurd that the rest of the world could possibly continue on its daily business and its trivialities. As the shock of these events begin to pass, you are left feeling physically and emotionally closer to the ground.

Life is a miraculous thing that is not to be taken lightly. It is easy to get absorbed in details and daily interactions with family, friends and acquaintances and those are important. Life in the literal sense of the word is what matters. To the Ivanys’ new son and the Horsts’ new daughter: welcome to the world. To Vickie: welcome back to the world. 

There is gig news too this month. On Sunday, February 10th at 1:30 pm, I will be doing a benefit concert for the University Women’s Club at Hycroft Manor located at 1489 McRae Avenue Vancouver. The concert is called, SHALL I COME SWEET LOVE TO THEE – an Afternoon Parlour of Renaissance and Baroque Love Songs. Members $10 + tax, Guests $15 + tax. The concert features Elspeth McVeigh, Soprano, yours truly, Alto, Nathaniel Hurwitz, Lute and Jocelyn Pritchard, Piano performing gorgeous music from the 16th – 18th century. Repertoire ranges from sad to joyful, doleful to playful, and will include examples of all the greats including Dowland, Campion, Purcell. Come one, come all!