Refreshment!

I've had some good fun this past week. I enjoyed a couple of things that were just so refreshing! They really hit the spot and watered a little piece of my soul that I didn't even know was thirsty :) The first evening was spent in a big crowd downtown, waiting and watching for the Olympic Torch to be run into the city! It wasn't so cold, so it was almost enjoyable to be outside in the crisp evening air. And there was a big happy crowd gathered downtown. Everyone was happy, even though there were crowds of people everywhere. It was a happy crowd! And there were folks running around in cute little outfits running around giving out free stuff, including free Coke in in special Olympic bottles.
I even got to hold one of the Olympic torches that was used in a leg of the relay!
The whole evening really hit the spot because it's been so long since I've been a part of a happy crowd experience! I was feeling quite happy to be a Canadian, and to be part of a "tribe" where I could blend into a happy crowd of people, with no worries of standing out or getting caught up in some sort of riot or something! I felt like I was among my own people again. And it was just a lot of good plain fun. And one of my favourite country singers was singing, too, which was also really great!

Then, yesterday, I went to a concert which was raising money for the earthquake in Haiti. It was held at one of the big churches in this city, and had musicians from all over. Quite honestly, I'd never heard of most of the folks who were performing, but I couldn't believe how good they all were! Most of them were just up on stage singing with a guitar or a piano, maybe a little bit of drumming in the back ground. It was simple, but they were all so amazing. I had sort of forgotten how much I love music! One of my favourite Christian singers was "headlining", and while he did a few songs just with his guitar, he also did a few songs with a full choir and orchestra backing him up.

It was just... ah... so soothing! I really felt like my shriveled little soul was being watered and coming back to life again. I guess I hadn't realized how much I've been missing good live music. But last night, wow, I just soaked it all up. I need to do some more of that before I go back to Africa. Ever so refreshing, and I feel like a bit of a well-watered garden again.

I'm realizing how much I miss artistic beauty while I'm living in my place. I think I need to be more pro-active in finding some beautiful things to look at and listen to while I'm there. I don't want that little part of me to wither again, now that it's springing back to life!