I had this idea that the summer would bring a relaxed rhythm to our lives for awhile. It kind of has worked out that way, but I find I’m just busy DIFFERENTLY. It’s still a welcome change, just having a different routine for awhile is good.  I feel the school year coming up fast though—its a shorter summer by at least two weeks, I’m sure of it.  I’m enjoying the variety while we have it.

Variety is especially sweet to our friends living at Mesa Verde. Having a visitor, a little entertainment to break up the week is so important. Today, I overheard a heated conversation about what was being offered for lunch. Salisbury Steak!

“Oh yes! I love that!”

“It’s glorified meatloaf. I hate meatloaf.”

“But today its Steak!”

“More like hamburger with a sauce.”

“Well, I like it! It’s as close to steak as we are gonna get here! I’m going in early!”

So there you have it: the gamut of human personalities in one conversation about lunch.  No one is immediately immune from a stroke, or a sudden accident, or old age. Everyone is welcome.

Today’s variety was brought by their bi-monthly entertainer, whose name I never caught. He’s a drummer in a band that plays at nights and weekends, but he fills his days when he can by serving the community, bringing music and tambourines to nursing homes. You’ll be able to tell by the following videos what joy it brings these very vibrant and living people.

I’m thrilled to say that some friends donated money for a Karaoke Machine and some accompanying CDs.  I believe tomorrow will be the fist day using it. I’m hoping that some of the more able guys will be able to figure out how to set it up with the TV, how often do they get a chance to do that sort of thing anymore? The halls are abuzz with talk about what songs are on the list and who is going to choose which song for their karaoke debut. I can’t make it up there tomorrow morning but I could be convinced to sell tickets! It will be quite a show, I’m sure of that.

Now without further ado, here is a fly on the wall view of Tambourine’s on Thursdays. (Apologies in advance for any advertising on these clips. I’m cheap that way.)

Brene Brown says, “Unused creativity is not benign–it metastasizes. It turns into grief, rage, judgement, sorrow, shame. We are creative beings. We are by nature creative. It gets lost along the way. It gets shamed out of us.”

I have a feeling that Vernon never sang before now because it was shamed out of him at an early age. I recall something about a choir teacher somewhere along his timeline of stories. I would love to thing that Vernon’s soul is somehow being cleansed from that shame by learning how to sing again. He might not have the strongest voice on the block, but who cares…he is using it. How many of us, who are gifted with huge talents don’t even bother to exercise them because they ‘aren’t good enough?’

I hope you take this blog post as an invitation (and maybe a challenge) to use your voice a little.  Stretch out. Sing a song. Shake a tambourine.  Let out some of that creative energy…what if that’s all it took to get better?

What if? Maybe it is.

 

 

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