Language is the soul and music the heart of human expression. It comes from within, welling up as from an eternal spring. It can be primed and focussed and trained and directed, its onrush is nourishing and nurturing and replenishing. Folk is the language and expression of everyday people and everyday events. It is the communication of street corners and dives of tent cities and congregations of living rooms and coincidences. Wherever there are folk there is folk music in one form or another. I will never stop playing, they will have to pry my cold dead fingers from my instrument! Please don't stop, the well is never dried up though it may occasionally seem a little low. I work in parks and recreation and we have done campfire programs with guitars and dulcimers and harmonicas and spoons etc. These are our best programs. We usually have a few songbooks for folks to share and encourage them to sing along. We ask them for suggestions. Occasioanlly someone from the audience will lead a song. We have had upwards of 100 people attend and sing along. Folk music never dies the great thing about it is that it is always just beginning. So play, sing, and smile. Try volunteering at a nearby park or campground or classroom. Use folk music to teach natural and cultural history, love, humor, compassion, personal struggle, or whatever you like. Folks like you will come out of the woodwork and join in. The more you give the more you get. Happy old time fun in the new year!