Come ti vidi, M’innamorai, E tu sorridi, Perchè lo sai.
I was planning on a romantic evening around the fire tonight anyway, so thank you old man winter. Your late arrival to the party is ok, and the moisture you bring might just germinate all of those late fall planted winter wheat fields.
Last night I actually watched the Food for Love Benefit Concert for New Mexico. Dozens of musicians contributed a song to this 5 hour mega event that raised at least half a million dollars for the hungry in New Mexico. I urge you to watch and donate if you are in a place to donate. We are all in this together. The music...the music...the music.... wow...so many musicians that just blow me away. So much Texas music in particular with Lyle Lovett, Shawn Colvin, Shinyribs, Butch Hancock, Jimmie Dale Gilmore....there is something truly magical about the music that the state of Texas offers up. I don't think there is anything like it. 14 years ago I met the woman who would become my wife and the mother to our three children in Austin. She had flown in from London for a long weekend and when I met her and fell in love with her in that instant I knew. As William Shakespeare wrote "When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew"
We met in a whirlwind of people buzzing around in a big room, and I had to run around the room bobbing and weaving thru masses of people to find her again. I did through, and in a hopeful moment I asked her if she'd meet later that night for music at the Continental Club on South Congress. Redd Volkaert (aka Merle Haggard's guitarist) was playing on that Saturday night with his band Heybale. She actually showed up. There were a bunch of old cowboys swing dancing on the dance floor and I pretended to like swing dancing for the chance to hold her hand...and we danced to some of the finest music in the land.
Here we are 14 years later after following our hearts across continents and oceans. I'm going to get in trouble for writing this, but it's a powerful story of taking chances and following your heart even if you are thousands of miles apart.
We've got everything you need for a wonderful night around the fire...roses, chocolates, cakes, truffles, French macarons, cocktails, wine, whisky, perfume, succulents, cards, crystals, candles....I mean...c'mon y'all.
Here's a link to the recorded show from last night. I would watch the whole dang thing if I were you:
Don’t Hesitate
By Mary Oliver
If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy,
don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty
of lives and whole towns destroyed or about
to be. We are not wise, and not very often
kind. And much can never be redeemed.
Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this
is its way of fighting back, that sometimes
something happens better than all the riches
or power in the world. It could be anything,
but very likely you notice it in the instant
when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the case.
Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid
of its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb.