ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!

There was a great thread about playing in churches, too, to get one's skills and gig style up a notch. And we talked about this.

How? Well, I sang the choral sacred literature during the years of non-belief. I recall loving the beauty and the feeling it gave me, especially in Latin. I knew the meaning of what I sang... but my focus was elsewhere at the time. Now, I think it DID have an effect on me spiritually... down deep... and for the better. But I did not need to claim it at the time. I was working on other things, then, not spirituality, musically and otherwise in my life.

Maybe that's what it boils down to-- recognizing that people are BUSY doing and feeling what makes sense to them to do and feel (and think) at every point in our lives, and trusting people to move along progressively where they need to go. Taking what they need and giving what they can as they move along through life. Treating ourselves and others with that assumption always works, for me, anyway. Not that I remember to, all the time!

One thing that matters about this, though, is the attitude of believers participating. It's important to leave assumptions out of it entirely. Let the people be the people, the music be the music, and God be God. Then it works.

Even if it turns out Somebuddy IS listening.

*G*

~Susan