Current mood:

happy

singing
Raven knows me really well. She's one of the top five for sure. That, and she has a history of dragging me to activities to which I am only too willing to be dragged, but too spineless to intrude upon on my own. So when she invited me to come to last night's practice session of her choir, she knew what she was doing.

Though I hear there are usually more, there were only six of us gathered in the echoing old Grange hall: the choir leader, who reminded me disconcertingly of my MIL; four of the usual ladies including Raven; and me. We did some vocal warmups, and the leader listened keenly to each of our voices, correcting us when we went flat, encouraging us to push our voices a little higher or lower than we usually go. I was riveted and terrified. These people knew what they were doing. They were hitting the notes and the rhythm. There was a tuning fork involved, for Pete's sake.

We sang several songs, rounds and harmonies, Raven coaching me on the part we shared. The synergy of the music was a wild rush, a beautiful sound winding out of our throats and filling our ears, rising to the high cold ceiling. For a few moments I forgot the litany of Sorry it's been so long I'm rusty it's been forever sorry on the verge of bursting forth, and simply sang.

They gather once a week to sing, and they do performances when they feel like it, and they carol at Christmas. There's so much to look forward to.

Thank goodness for friends who know our secret hearts.