Finding Warmth in the Slowing Season
Happy October everyone! šš»š
This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending one of my music therapy friendās wedding! What a whirlwind of a weekend it was. In the quiet moments, I found myself reflecting on how grateful and blessed I am for this life I get to live. Because my friend is from the same area of the country as I am (midwest represent! š), I had the opportunity to catch up with my family and another friend who I hadnāt seen in over 6 years. Like I said, a whirlwind of a weekend, but wow, was it overflowing with love!
Iām very fortunate to have both sets of my grandparents in my life still! I flew into Pittsburgh, PA and spent the rest of the day catching up with my parents, grandparents, brother, aunt, neighbors, and long time family friends. Eating a meal complete with Pittsburgh cuisine staples, having entirely too many sweets to choose from, consuming more ounces of coffee than anyone could count, and ending our day with a campfire in the backyard was beyond wonderful. Itās been quite some time since we all got together like that! From there, I headed off to my friendās wedding in Akron, Ohio. Set up in the trees with a gorgeous view of Turkeyfoot Lake, the ceremony was short and sweet. Complete with sweet music, short readings from the bride and groomās siblings, and a whole lot of love, the day couldnāt have gone any better. The sun was shining and the breeze was blowing keeping everyone comfortable as we celebrated the love that brought us all together! The evening was filled with delicious food, meaningful conversations, and a vibrant dance floor. The main topic of conversation all day was just how special and personalized the wedding was to the couple. And I have to agree! Everything felt safe, comfortable, and fun, which is exactly how Iād describe them as people. To think that we only met at the very end of her internship because I chose to start early, and to see what our friendship has blossomed into over the years is something I cannot find the words for. I hope that everyone reading this has someone like that in their lives.
From there, I was so fortunate to spend time with a very dear friend of mine. This friend is someone I saw every single day for a long time, so itās hard to fathom it had been over 6 years since Iād seen them. Itās funny how life gets in the way of things sometimes. As I left the wedding reception and headed to the venue where his band was playing, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. Spending the day with my entire family, attending the wedding of an amazing friend, and finishing out the day seeing someone who I hadnāt seen what felt like forever brought a smile to my face. I was actually laughing out loud in the car by myself because I just couldnāt contain the joy. Watching my friend create music with his band was so fun! Truly anytime I get to witness someone doing what they love, itās easy to enjoy it, but the level of pride I felt that that was my friend, is unmatched. We spent a lot of our teenage years together dreaming about what life was gonna be like when we got out of high school. Iām blessed to still be part of that journey. We drove back to his apartment and something about that drive just felt right. One of those moments thatās just never long enough.
I spent the final hours of my trip with my parents and my brother watching tv and playing video games. Anyone who has adult siblings knows how precious that time is. Yet again, I just donāt have the words. And finally, I returned to New Hampshire just in time for our first ever Adaptive Lesson Talent Showcase! Iām so proud of our students for all their hard work. It takes an immense amount of courage to play for an audience and I commend their bravery.
Pictured left to right is Elizabeth, Kelly, Cassadi, and Sarah after a successful talent showcase!
Five days full of love, laughter, light, and joy! Iām so honored to have been invited to the wedding and so blessed for the opportunity to see friends and family who I donāt get to see often. As we approach the colder months, I invite you to take a moment and reflect on where you are in your journey. Like I always say, approach it from a place of love and kindness. Even if youāre not where you want to be, I encourage you to try and find just one thing to celebrate. Maybe itās just making it to where you are right now. And that is wonderful. It takes courage to continue when the days are heavy and I want to remind you that there is light. Sometimes it's a little dimmer than weād like it to be, but itās there. Thanks for being here. See you again in November! š§”
Author: Kelly Weaver, MT-BC