This morning, while I folded a mountain of laundry, I watched the memorial service of Wes Phillips. And I cried, because it was perfect. Thanks to Jon Edwards for getting that on YouTube, and special thanks for getting a snippet of "It Is Well" on the video. Lyn Howerzyl and I had a long Facebook conversation at midnight on the Thursday prior, with her in Pella and me in Wisconsin, about playing that song. In the end, we decided that playing from the heart is what matters, and probably mattered more at the funerals of Beethoven and Mozart, more than the music chosen.
Last night, we invited several people to Eat and Play. We shared a meal, dissected the problems of the day, and got our instruments out to play. I had invited Wes the day before he died, but obviously he couldn't be with us in body. A minute or so into out first song, I discovered three year old Graeme banging his head against our van. He wanted to get his guitar. His tiny guitar, which has been loved to a point where it has only three strings, the bridge is barely hanging on, his sheets have been ripped from sleeping with it, was at home. Eventually I distracted him with food. We had a fabulous time playing and singing together. Our kids drifted in out, grabbing whatever instrument caught their eye. We ended with "We Shall Overcome," a favorite of mine.
When we got home, Graeme immediately found his guitar, and it went to bed with him. As I watched the service, and listened to Pastor Kirsten talk about the Psalms, about people sitting around trying to fix the world's problems, and settling it by playing their instruments together and singing songs, I understood why Graeme needed his guitar, and why we all left Eat and Play feeling better about the world again. Music always fixes it.
As I put the laundry away this morning, Graeme's older sister brought his guitar to me to tighten a loose string. She asked what I was watching, so I tried to explain that all the people were remembering Mr. Wes. And I hope, as my little boy grows into a musician (because he will) he also shows the kindness and innate understanding that only a musical genius could, the kindness that Mr. Wes shared with us.
