Last fall, a woman by the name of Jacki Lewis backed my Kickstarter. She pledged at a level that included me playing a concert in her home. She then went on to donate that performance to a senior living facility called Wesley Willows. I played a show for them on Friday.
I’m not going to lie: some of the audience members fell asleep. I don’t blame them. “Girl Singing At Piano” is hardly a novelty. Still, there were people who listened. Unfortunately several folks were hard of hearing, so I’m not sure how much of my show they really heard.
By the end of the show, I felt at a loss. Truly and completely at a loss. In that moment, I decided we should have a sing-a-long. (Because why not?) I chose Moon River. (Because why not?)
The moment I started singing, everybody was singing with me. People who had been sleeping woke up and started crooning. People who couldn’t carry a tune were belting it out. People in the back of the room were swaying.
And I had to laugh. The best part of the show was the part that happened on a total lark.
It’s a great life lesson. Some of my best calls have been made when I reach the end of my rope. In those moments—when I’m flailing and uncertain, when my playbook is used up, when I’ve got nothing to lose—I resort to employing a sort of fearless whimsy. And poof. Magic. It’s like Dorothy clicking her heels three times. Who would have believed it?
I’m keeping this lesson close as I embark on another challenging week at the building. Reader, wherever you are, I hope you are keeping warm and happy in this mid-winter. See you next Sunday. -Em