Woyaya, part 1

For the folks from St. Mary's --

Someone suggested we sing this song to our High School graduates on their Send Off Day.  The words fit the occasion filling them with confidence without the sugarcoating.

We are going,
heaven knows where we are going,
but we know within.

And we will get there,
heaven knows how we will get there,
But we know we will.

It will be hard, we know
and the road will be muddy and rough,
but we'll get there,
heaven knows how we will get there,
but we know we will.

Woyaya (translation of African:  So be it!  Amen!)

Many of you may know the Art Garfunkel version, http://youtu.be/viwERI295zU.  Did you know there's a wide variety of versions on YouTube?  Check out these... 

Longing

Last week Grace Notes sang for a gentleman who captured our attention even though he wasn't on the AseraCare roster.  Perched on his wheelchair in the middle of the hallway he was getting our attention saying "Help Me!  Help me get out of here!"  If you're familiar with dementia units in skilled nursing facilities you might recognize this scene. 

We decided to stop and sing to him between our planned visits.  Someone suggested "Breathing In, Breathing Out" (see words below) and we started to surround him with sound.  A few of us moved to stand in front of him and do simple choreography to the song from Kairos Dance Theater's Dancing Heart program.  I noticed a change in his breathing - it seemed clearer.  His eyes grew wide as he watched and listened without speaking.  We wrapped up the song and were quiet for that moment afterwards where everyone is still present to the moment, listening for the last vibrations, unsure we would get another chorus of suffering and sadness or a sign of appreciation. 

From good to great

Grace Notes has been doing amazing great work in the five months since the first rehearsal in January.  We have sung to over 100 songs to 50 patients.  If we included all the folks who were present and listening, i.e., family, friends, and nursing staff, the number easily triples because we found ourselves singing in a common areas from time to time.  Woohoo!  Read some of our stories here and here. 

Creative Aging Around Town (more details)

Minnesota Creative Arts & Aging Network (http://www.mncaan.net/)
CREATIVE AGING AROUND TOWN

TOPIC THIS MONTH: Using Art for the Good of the Community

WEDNESDAY, June 1
1:00-3:00 P.M.

Winnetka Learning Center
7940 55th Ave. No., Room 117-118
New Hope, MN

FEATURED PRESENTERS:
Loren on Park Writers Group creates community understanding and dialogue about racism.
Grace Notes hospice choir serenades people who are emotionally and physically fragile at the end of life.
Story Theater community education volunteers bring readers theater into the schools.

Free. No need to pre-register. Just come.

Please invite anyone with an interest in unleashing the artistic creativity in people 55+.

(repost of MnCAAN.net email)