Well said, Lloyd.

I have a little story of what I consider a best gig, although I don't perform much in public, don't get much of a chance to sing with anyone else, and it involves only me, with no audience.

I had been in New England, living far away from my mother, for over 7 years. I'd seen her once in that time. we talked a lot on the phone, but still missed one another terribly.

One day I decided I would send her a tape of me talking about our daily life, my plans, and sing a few songs. For some reason, I did this using a microcassette player. When it felt right to start singing, the only one that came to mind, that I could remember was Rock Me In Your Arms by Holly Near.

I felt a stillness, an onrush of strength and rightness, as I drew in the first breath and began to sing in a soft voice. Knowing this was for mom, feeling it in my heart, that this was a moment of magic and blessing, I sang on, my voice rising in crescendo, then ending in an almost whisper.

I ended the recording with that and sent it on to mom. She had tears in her voice when she called me to tell me what a beautiful voice I had and how wonderfully I sang to her. My heart was full and beaming with an overflow of mother's love, love that is so unconditional you think you can do anything, be anyone, strive, in fact, to achieve and capture the essence of that feeling once more, when you became one with your mother.

Every once in awhile, I sing that song, softly to myself, sending it on the wings of prayer to mom, hoping that she hears me where she is now, but it never clicks quite as well as it did that time when I made the tape for her.

kat