So, I must reveal a secret. I decided to join the choir at church. This decision had not come by lightly. About 2 years ago, maybe 3, Barb, the organist asked me to join the choir. Of course, I declined, because I have been told by many people, mostly my family that I CANNOT SING, and you know, I know I cannot sing, but I can carry a tune…. Mostly off key. Many months went by, but Barb kept after me to join the choir. I kept saying no. Thinking to myself, why would anyone want someone who could not sing, in their choir? Then she said, you know the only requirement to sing in the choir was to be able to walk up the stairs to the choir loft. That intrigued me, as I have never been up in the choir loft. The thought was always on my mind. I finally took that climb up those steep stairs. Thank goodness there was a banister to hold on to. Out of breath, and not able to talk, much less able to sing, I found a remarkable kinship and friendship that I always knew was what the Catholic faith was all about. I found my church family. I was welcomed with open arms, thanking me over and over for coming, and I felt almost at home. I thought to myself, this is not too bad, people cannot see me as the choir loft is in the back up, up, up and away, and I can always lip sing.
The first practice, I kept thinking, why are they thanking me? They have not heard me sing! Barb, the organist, said here are some of our books and music and if you have a keyboard at home, you practice the songs. WHAT???!!!
I cannot read music!!! Keyboard. Oh no! Why did they think I could play or read music. I CAN ONLY LISTEN TO THE SONG, AND HOPEFULLY REMEMBER WHAT IS SOUNDS LIKE AND THEN MIMIC IT. I am thinking the only requirements are to walk up the stairs. I did that, I am in! I thought BUT here is the music with all these little squigglies and notes, oh yes I do know they are notes. Doe, a deer a female deer, and so on. I am trying to recall, back 50 years when I was in music class in school, to, yes, I remember…… Every Good Boy Deserves Food???, no that is not it…….EGBDF…….Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge or Fun??? Oh well. FACE……where does that come in? I do know most of the songs, including some of the latin ones, but I cannot read music.
I am amazed at how anyone can look at those squiggley notes and know what it should sound like. Do, re, me, fa, so, la, ti, do………where do they go??……..on those lines, Oh yes, I remember, called bars.
So, I am singing in the choir, mostly lip-singing. Will they ever find out I cannot carry a tune?
Our choir director is AMAZING. So talented, we are so lucky to have someone like him in our little town of Jerseyville, Illinois., …….I know he must know I cannot carry a tune. But he keeps telling us to belt it out. ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA….. I am thinking, can he hear this voice. My voice…….He must.
I am in awe at anyone who can read music, play music, sing music by following those notes on the bars with the squigglies on them. It is a different language. The music is in my soul, but that is it. My vocal cords do not know what to do with all those notes.
This is an ongoing story. We are practicing for Christmas. Maybe I should try to learn to read music at my old age, I am just thinking. Can this old dog learn new tricks?
