I should have realized how this day would be when I, on a whim, flipped my IPhone music over to the orchestral / choral work by John Rutter called Magnificat. The music rolls through waves of high tempo accents to soft raised voices. Entirely approachable, it speaks simple moods and while the Latin biblical lyrics are easily missed it can leave an impression to even a casual listener. For me, it has this ability to bring a calm, quiet day to its furthest threshold – in peace, it helps me find bliss. Magnificat has had that ability since my first deep listen while taking a calm quiet day off in London’s Hyde Park in 2005. While I listen to it regularly, it’s those days that Magnificat finds me that returns me to a mood like no other.
It is solstice weekend in Anchorage, the official start of summer and the longest days and shortest night of the year. The weekend is marked by the Mayor’s Marathon (Anchorages primer running event) and downtown festivals. In my opinion, the events are underwhelming, in the land of the midnight sun there seems to be little to celebrate midnight nor the sun, but that didn’t stop me.
Friday was the first overcast day since our snows in May, but we barly got a sprinkle to go with it. After an evening (like you could tell) walk with the pup, I won’t downtown for a few drinks and meet some new friend at the Irish pub. Once midnight rolled around, I took a walk to get the flavor of things – but it was like any Friday night bar hopping night. Still, seeing the first light at 2AM when it never really got dark was worth seeing; and heading home I wondered what Saturday would bring. 41 year old bones don’t usually do well with a 2AM bed time.
What I woke to was blue skies, a cool morning, and a happy relaxed mood. Rutter found me soon late and wafted through my mind through a playful breakfast and a few errands. Auggie and I won’t downtown where we spent a fair bit of time wandering, chatting, relaxing.
For some reason, I thought about a friend I really hadn’t thought much about for years; leading me to dig out old pictures, find some old things to make me remember. Being the technical age, I poked around and learned probably more that I wanted from google and I won’t lie .. It made me shed a couple tears for the days long gone by. Not for something bad; but just one of those stories that reminds you that you are alive. It’s not a story I want to blog about, not all are, but I pulled the pup onto my lap while sitting in the park and I told him the whole thing.
Maybe that is what that music is to me. Magnificat is this subtle, simple piece. But it finds a place in me to be in the subtle simple moments. It helps me and reminds me that within the calm is something great to appreciate. I don’t know the meaning or content of Magnificat, but in it I am most aware of everything … everything … that can make one happy.