Hear it and weep

[Collins Richey]

After an afternoon of moving snow about to make room for both cars in
the driveway, I took a break and turned on the radio to my favorite
political program, only to find that the entire three hours were
dedicated to a lengthy exposition by Professor David Alan White on the
history and music of Handel and the Messiah. I sat spellbound. This
was the Christmas gift to end all gifts. My fundamentalist friends
would say: We got a blessing.

I'm not a religious person, but I can't listen to the soprano aria and
background music "I know my Redeemer liveth" with a dry eye. Strangely
enough, the only other music that has such a profound effect on me is
the song "Danny Boy" and a Prokofieff aria by a young Russian woman
bemoaning the loss of "shining falcons" in the battle between Russians
and the Teutonic Order on frozen Lake Chud.

Ah well, old farts like to ramble.

Once again, have a glorious holiday.

-- 
Collins Richey
     If you fill your heart with regrets of yesterday and the worries
     of tomorrow, you have no today to be thankful for.