Inspiration

There have been a couple of things lately that have warmed my heart and inspired me.  Quite a list actually. 

Things that have been happening to friends, watching them overcome health problems, fighting back against long standing issues.  Of course the heart warming part is seeing them win, the inspiring part is seeing how they have handled the fight.

This evening I happened on a programme on S4C - a Llangollen concert, Karl Jenkins The Peacemakers.  Karl Jenkins has composed some amazing music,  Adiemus being my favourite. It made me think of  both my daughters, who have been in choirs and performed his music, which led me to think of them as much younger children and being in school.  The camera then panned across to a young man, playing the cello beautifully.  I knew, before the camera moved up to his face, that it was Steffan Morris. Steffan and his sister were school with my daughters, his mum gave my older daughter her first piano lessons and his aunt was teacher to one daughter and choir mistress to both.  This incredibly talented young man always makes me smile.  His dedication to his art is inspiring.  I remember being told that he would practice early in the morning, before school, as well as into the evening.  It is always a delight to see him play.  At the end of his piece he shook Karl Jenkins hand and then .... he took over as conductor!  After the initial 'wow' moment I settled in to watch this very young man hold the respect and concentration of a huge choir and marvelled at how relaxed he was in his role.  At the end of the performance the announcer said (in Welsh but I got it) that Steffan's mum, dad and sister were in the Choir.  Wow again.  I had hit record so that I could show it to the girls, so I quickly ran it back to see if I could find them.  I watched the whole section and found his mum and his sister.  When we got back to the end of the section again I realised that his sister was in the final shot with him, absolutely beaming at him, full of pride for her younger brother. 

The music had given me shivers, in only the way that a well written, well performed piece can. I always feel sorry for people who have never experienced that. Watching the whole family sharing the moment was just so heart warming. Talking of moments, seeing that young man's success was a real 'grin' one for me.  Because although I know that he has worked extremely hard and im sure that there have been difficult times for him, it was nice to see someone apparently taking life in his stride and loving every minute of it.  Something we could all look to at least try to do.

So young Mr Morris - thank you for the exceptional performance, for the trip down memory lane to Ysgol Gymraeg Castell Nedd and for the 'grin' moment.