An actual pre-concert quote from an actual member of the Windward Choral Society: “My wife likes me better when I’m singing in the choir. Best therapy ever.”

Amen to that, brother. I don’t know about the rest of you but the Christmas music playing in the background EVERYWHERE takes all of about a nanosecond to really get on my nerves. If I hear “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” one more time there’s gonna be some serious trouble and another dose of “Santa Baby” is going to be apocalyptic. Seriously. Fire and brimstone, end of the world.

And I’ve said it before: I really don’t like “Sleigh Ride”…

…except when I sing it with the whole gang in front of an audience and they cheer when we’re done. How is it that listening to a song can make my skin crawl and singing the same song can bring a smile to my face? It’s the shared experience with the audience that makes it all go. Regardless of the song, regardless of the season, regardless of how I feel (allergies were kicking my okole during that second show), it doesn’t matter when there are hundreds of people loving what you’re doing and letting it wash over them.

It actually starts months prior as we work our way through the song. I still don’t like “Sleigh Ride” but the process of rehearsing it with all my friends and getting better at singing it and getting it to a performance-level state is fun and rewarding and has its own bit of joy. The same is true with any piece, regardess of my opinion of it, and that’s one of the therapeutic things that keeps us so happy and engaged throughout the fall. Each one is its own challenge and has its corresponding rewards and hey…success is one of the best therapies around.

And now that music has saved me from Christmas the apocalypse has been averted.

Darned lucky, that.