A few weeks ago my friend and I joined a women's choir in Burlington that sings in both English and Welsh. I studied Welsh in university and did a summer WLPAN course in Wales many years ago, and since then I've looked for opportunities to use this beautiful language. So when I saw "Welsh" in the choir's name, I jumped at the opportunity.
It's a fun group of friendly, talented women, most of them my age or older, and they sing "off book," which means everything must be memorized. They have a concert tonight, but I don't have everything memorized to my satisfaction yet, so I'll hold off and perform in their smaller-venue concert on Monday instead. I'm enjoying singing Annwyl Faria and Suo Gan, among other songs -- I love the sound of Welsh in my ears again! Suo Gan is a tender lullaby, and having just celebrated the birth of our little granddaughter, it moves me to tears sometimes when I sing it.
In addition to the whole Welsh aspect, though, there's also the boost that little bit of weekly socialization gives me. It's just the right amount -- no small talk really required, we're all focused on the music -- but having a common project and aim is invigorating, the women are lovely and welcoming, and I think participation will help stave off the Seasonal Affective Disorder to some degree.
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