Masterpiece

Ever have one of those days you wish you could somehow have recorded, on videotape or something, to replay later, any time you wanted, so you could relive the moments? Yet, not on tape, really, because you would need to capture the feelings that went along with those moments, at those exact moments ... and how do you do that, anyway?

Today was the tribute to my former choir director, Meredith. Basically, all but about 20 minutes of the service at my hometown church was devoted to remembering this woman, through music. The high school and junior high bell choirs performed, as did some 34 alumni bell players. (You might not know it to look at me, but once upon a time, I played a pretty mean handbell. Seriously.)

: )

The best parts of the service were when the kids’ choirs sang “Welcome” and “Morning Has Broken.” And when I found myself getting choked up all over again, over a certain lyric from this hymn or that (all of them Meredith’s favorites). And when my sister and I and my college roommate all got to stand by each other during this one song, “God of Grace.” And then, afterwards, when Debra and John and I joined together, sobbing, for a big hug when the service was over.

I will remember these things, but there really is no way to record them. Not even with words.