Although I try to keep the inspirations for these Shabbat encouragements anonymous, members of our Ruach community will probably figure this one out, as will the inspirers. However, it was too good to let it go. . .

Last week at 8:30 on a week night 15 Ruachites were blessed to hear a violin recital that transported us from a little room on the second floor of the BU Fine Arts building to a taste of Heaven. Actually not hyperbole. It really felt that way, on so many levels.

The fact that one tiny beautiful person (sorry, couldn’t resist) could bring forth from an instrument such passion and power was emotionally riveting. Through her emoting we in the audience could feel the life in that music. We could experience centuries later the angst, love, vitality of the composers’ lives. The timeless connectedness of our common humanity engaged each of us viscerally through the performer’s heartfelt interpretative rendering of each composition.

Every once in awhile an emergency vehicle siren’s blare could be heard in the distance, but it had no power in that room. It was just a fleeting reminder that we really weren’t in Carnegie Hall or in the heart of the composer or musician. We were just people partaking of flawless oasis beauty in the middle of the week, a two hour respite from all the challenges of the day.

Adding to the transformative evening was the fact that so many Ruachites were there and given the size of the room, we were a big audience! As I looked around and realized the distance so many had come and the lateness of the hour, it was clear that HaShem’s love was pouring into the experience as well. It was as if the dear performer was our daughter as our Abba had orchestrated such deep fellowship and provided the ability for so many to be together that evening.

We make choices each day to determine what we have time to do. Even if you don’t have a local concert option, music is everywhere and an amazing tool for soothing the soul. We can’t take away all the ugliness in the world but we can take a break from it and enjoy an electronic option of inspirational beauty on our radios, laptops, CD players, smart phones. And the next time you have the opportunity to join an outing with your HaShem centered brothers and sisters, especially one like this, (and there will be others), go for it! You and your loved ones will be blessed.

Shabbat shalom.

Diane