This past weekend I played at the Calgary Folk a festival with Oh Susanna and got to do a couple of workshops of my own as a bonus tag on.
There were lots of laughs and hugs and old friends seen. This is the glory of the festival situation, you get to see all these people you like and respect and some you don't understand the music of, but appreciate. I can't tell you how much I take home from the late night conversations and understandings, but I can say it is these moments that I see in a movie like kind of way: those exchanges that combine season and humour and a lot of feeling.
I also experienced a very very emotional workshop with John Mann from Spirit of the West. John is both a cancer survivor and now someone coping with early onset Alzheimer's. Watching him play and sing was more than inspirational. There were times you could see in his eyes he was right on the rails of the song going off, but he kept it going and got it back each time.
I shook his hand after and he took it from his pocket clammy, but with a definite feeling of relief and success. Everyone at that stage was right there with and for him and I tell you I don't know when again I will feel the way I did watching John do his songs.
We all know people with dementia, my mother has it, but I was so very fucking real seeing someone of my own generation changing and struggling but keeping on keeping on.
This world and life I live in is a privilege, I get to go places and get on planes and get some drink tickets and get invited to the odd nice meal as well. As someone who three time dropped out of post high school educational pursuits, I have said often the the first time I did not quit something was making my first solo record.
I may seem like a person who mopes a bit and complains about my situation, but I tell you here that is not the case, I am what the religious call blessed and the rest of us call fortunate.
That is all I got for you right now and while I don't know how many will read it or "like" it, I would rather have this moment of connection than just show you picture of my guitars and half empty bottles of wine.
Hugs and hearts,
j,