By Linda Silva

We had our first-ever outside recital on Saturday on our front lawn. Until folks started arriving I hadn’t fully appreciated that it was also our first in-person recital in 16 months! I found the simple acts of greeting people, milling about, and chatting to be at first a little awkward, unfamiliar as they’d become. But they soon came back to me and it felt great. As I stood to welcome the young performers and their guests I took a moment to look out over the families spread out on chairs and blankets, at their masked and unmasked faces, at their expressions of happy anticipation because they were about to see a loved young one show off something they’d learned. I understood in a way I hadn’t before what a a privilege it was to be there with families and teachers I’d known for years, to meet new people, to gather, to be well. I took a moment to savor it. And then I introduced the first performer and the children, as they always do, began to play.