.... so I'm at this weekend workshop with a whole set of assignments to fulfill for various stakeholders, ok, esp the org that sponsored me to go? And it's the 2nd night and I didn't sleep well the previous night so I've taken a benadryl to stay asleep, but no! Wakie wakie, sez my brain. I do all the things I usually do to finish my sleep... but NO! WAKIE WAKIE!!!

Then I realize I have a song stuck in my head, and of course it's a spiritual, so new verses start to come as I realize I'm going to have to songlead it (ready or no). The workshop leader has not asked for music at all.

So I write down the verses anyway, in case, and ask her early early when I run into her... if she might.... and now she's jumping up and down in her Bishop's worship duds, telling me SO excitedly how music reaches places words can't (no shit, lady), and YES, I MUST sing-- and now it's a Command. I ask for her promise that SHE WILL PROMPT ME when she wishes a song begun, and direct me to which of three that might serve.

So after brekky I take another look at the now-three songs I've adapted with one-word changes to fit the workshop topic, and scrawl a short note in large print for the boss and set it on her podium: one is a gathering song; one is a song of intentionality; one is a song affirming commitment (which she has indicated is her planned closing piece of wkshp content).

And sure enough she enters; mics herself up; sees this note and is nodding to herself, GRINS at me-- and starts into workshop content-- what? no song?

Very shortly she finishes her intro remarks summarizing the last evening's content, and then sez that someone has offered a gift of song, points to me and BOOM-- with no further coordination between us I speak half a sentence of introduction so that ppl know we're not inappropriately appropriating another culture, and swing immediately into teaching/doing HOW a call/response is done-- the Gathering piece in her list-- and the whole room sings with me. No mic. No lyric sheet. Just song pouring through us. I give the Bish the loud 'Hallelu' exclamations by pointing to her when we get to them and she rocks her part.

Two verses feels right so I bring it to a close. The song falls away in that last phrase, just right. She pauses just the right pause and starts content.

Later she drops another one into a very unexpected moment, which is also quite lovely in the room.


Well shit! That's why I sing! I can't help it!


The songs take over my mind, and knock me out of the damn bed!


~Susan