Awe Moment

St. Ignace Musicale, Methodist Church

The yearly musicale was at the Methodist Church last night.  The decorations were festive and made me feel like I was in a safe magical place.  This gorgeous, a-frame church has beautiful long windows. When it's black outside the lights just dance around the space.  There was a fourteen foot, live pine in the corner with simple red and green reflective bulbs all over it.  On the alter there were fifty or more poinsettias arranged in groups between two more simply decorated pine trees.  Hanging from the high rafters was a large advent wreath suspended in the air above the piano, ready to hold the candles of the season.

I realize I feel the comfort of this place from the years of attending and performing in this Musicale. It's always the first Sunday of December and seems to be "too" early for the Christmas season, but when it comes the timing is "just right".  

We've already had some snow and blizzardy weather in Michigan this year and Christmas seems to logically fall into place.  But, it's not just the physical surroundings of this place that gives me comfort.  It's the smiles from community members.  The easy hugs.  The recognition of still being a part of the community no matter how long you've moved away or returned from living somewhere else. The buzz of voices in their re-connecting with each other all around me.  Children walking, running or shuffling around with white shirts the have a logo in the left-hand corner that says they're in the St. Ignace community children's choir. Musical group members getting their instruments ready to play, checking out the sound system.

Good seats are hard to get and many of the "regulars" who attend the Musicale get there at least an hour early.  Last night the place was packed and folded chairs were being placed along the rows of pews to accommodate the overflow.  By the time I got there early with Mom, Tim and Susan had some seats secured for us in the front.  It's the best seat I've ever had at a Musicale and the only year I've had a seat on the right side of the aisle.

The program started at seven and the hour flew before we were seated and ready to enjoy the performances.  I ALWAYS enjoy the performances.  There are no bad performances.  The high energy, motivation, adrenaline and true soul put into these musical acts is wonderful.  I personally know how much time and worry goes into picking the perfect song, sound and color of a song.  So, when I see someone finally getting a chance to perform, I figure it is their best.  The best for that moment.  It is packed with all the personal nervousness, high energy of the crowd, people distractions and second thoughts about putting yourself out there so visibly.  

It's a big jump, especially when you're performing for people who have known not only you, but your sisters and brothers, your parents, your grandparents, your neighbors for decades!  I look out at the audience and see the faces of my home town.  Faces of my past.  I was glad someone mentioned the Gilmores and their past music contributions to Musicales.  I talked to Clare (    ) and her birthday was the day before the Musicale.  She just turned 90!  She lost her twin brother just a few months ago.  She still plays organ, smiling and participating in her community.  Although I believe just being there and listening to the music is participating, the performers weren't the only ones active in this musicale.  No performance is ever achieved without the mesh of listeners.  

Jenna Cronan Performing at the 51st Musicale in St. Ignace

When Jenna (my 10 year old niece) and I asked the audience to sing-a-long with us on "White Christmas", she mentioned later to me how many people were crying when they were singing with us.  I didn't  explain to her the pride and blessings people feel in belonging.  She'll figure it out when she's ready to process it all.  Words don't come easy to make a picture of it for her.  I could tell her it's like a Christmas tree that is carefully decorated and its true beauty doesn't show until you turn the lights on. It's the "awe" moment when your heart understands tradition and surrounds itself with memories to support it.  I'm sure at 10 years old when I saw the same thing I was thinking, "What a bunch of saps!!"  But, now, much older, I understand. 

I hope she felt the love of town.  The love of home.  It's a feeling that permeates us and gives a sense of belonging.  And not a belonging because of what street you live on, but the fact that you are from St. Ignace.  We will always be from our town.  Jenna and Brendan (Tim and Susan's kids), reside in Troy, but they are part of the St. Ignace community.  No matter where they go, they have a residency permit. It's a permit passed on to them because their dad, aunts and uncles and grandparents have a life-long membership.

Little Girl with Shiny Shoes in Children's Choir