Caroling, Caroling

This weekend brought the most Christmas parties I have ever been to in one day. Well, it was only two... but still!  And quite the parties they were, too!

I accompanied my closest friends to a couple gatherings of Opus Dei youth, alumni of their high school programs, family members, friends and numeraries.  Some of my talented friends played the piano and led the singing of traditional Christmas carols, not those secular winter songs that some people associate with Christmas.  One house was absolutely packed with people, and the dainty cookies laid out on trays disappeared quicker than a wink once the singing was through. The punch took the cake, though - it was guava nectar and apple juice mixed with ginger ale and had pieces of apple and lime slices floating in the bowl. Such a refreshing, sweet and tangy taste! Everyone ladled out at least two cups of punch by the end of the party.

For the second round, I toted my violin in anticipation of carols. There was even more food prepared - including some scrumptious truffles that I neglected to notice until the party was almost over.  It was such a joy to see the dear familiar faces and all the young, fresh unfamiliar faces, lit with the light of excitement of Christmas just around the corner.  I also enjoyed improvising harmonies and counter melodies to the pages and pages of carols that we played, one after the next, switching keys and rhythms left and right. It was standing-room-only, and I had to be careful not to poke out anybody's eye with my bow, but it was such fun to play my violin again among friends, free to improvise as I liked. "Go Tell it On the Mountain" received a bit of fiddling gospel treatment, and "What Child is This" was full of harmonic minor chords that are easy to deconstruct. Of course, switching registers between verses was a must. The gentleman and lady leading the singing were well-trained and had strong, refined voices.  The 8th-grade children led the singing of a Swahili carol, "Malaika". It was almost a magical night.

I met some new people, too. Some were parents of the younger children who are involved in Opus Dei activities, and some were high school students familiar with the grand old homes which are managed by numeraries.  Opus Dei being a personal prelature of the Church and not a religious order, what results is something like a giant family party, where new and old friends unite. Now, they're going to be clamoring for me to come back - and of course, I will. It's like being adopted into another big happy family, so I have no reason not to go, and every reason to begin attending their classes, reflections, Recollection days and service projects.

After all, life is too short to die, and this is the time for resolutions!