This trip was completely out of character for our family. We don't fly here and there to attend exciting events. We usually make our fun local (read: inexpensive) and simple (read: inexpensive.) But, I was reading a post on the Well-Trained Mind boards that mentioned Howard Shore conducting the symphony, and something inside me just had to dream for a minute. I searched, found the Seattle date and wrote my dear mother-in-law. She thought it was a grand idea, since she lives outside of Seattle, and encouraged me to see what we could pull off. My husband, understandably, thought I was nuts. But, I kept a flame of hope alive in my heart. Through a strange set of circumstances, the generosity of loved ones and a dream to be exact, we ended up in that lovely symphony hall. My husband, in a completely uncharacteristic moment, had a vivid dream (the sleeping kind of dream) about going to visit his uncle...an uncle that was much-loved, dying of Lou Gehrig's disease, and living in Seattle. My mother-in-law and her husband invited our two oldest children to stay as their guests for a few extra days, and we suddenly had ourselves a trip.
It was a whirlwind to beat all whirlwinds. My husband and I were gone from home less than forty hours, but we fit in enough excitement to make anyone dizzy. We had a long visit at Dusty Strings music store, where our daughter was able to drool on...um, I mean, practice on several harps that she is considering for a future harp purchase. We drank coffee (an important part of any Seattle visit), attended the symphony, saw Whidbey Island for the first time, and had precious time with Uncle John and Aunt Juanita, made all the more important by the fact that Uncle John died this past April. It was truly a dream come true.
The symphony, that original reason I began to dream, was spectacular. From the opening moments, I felt transported to another world. Howard Shore looked like a young boy at Christmas; he came on stage with a huge grin on his face, and as he conducted he seemed to bounce with excitement. The soprano who sang Into the West had a voice as clear and fresh as any I have heard, and the beauty of it just melted my heart. The tin whistle of Hobbiton, the fiddle of Rohan, the horns of Gondor, and the young man who sang In Dreams, all of these were absolutely perfect.
When finances are tight, as they always are at my house, it is easy to give up dreaming. But, every now and then, I think letting an absurd dream light a little flicker in our hearts is a good thing. Now, it isn't without risk. If a dream costs money, it will often not come true, and that can lead to disappointment. But, I would rather entertain a dream that never comes true, than to live my simple life with no dreams at all. And sometimes, occasionally, rarely, those dreams come true. My heart still dreams of Great Britain, and a long autumn in New England, and they may only be dreams for the rest of my life. But, my dream of flying off with three of my favorite people, to hear some of my favorite music, in a city known for its coffee... it was a delicious dream come true.
July 17, 2004
And, just in case you have managed to hide yourself from Howard Shore's musical masterpiece, here is a chance to get better acquainted:
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Soundtrack
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