And the Herald Angels Sang

Photo by Kate Remmer on Unsplash

In a lounge just outside the elevators on the 3rd floor of Riverview Gardens Nursing Home sat a group of about 6 women in wheelchairs. They were huddled together, waiting for their turn to be taken downstairs to the main lobby where the Chatham Concert Band would be performing. I’m in the band and so I decided to arrive early to visit Georgie, one of the dear ladies who used to come to our home for lunch each month before the pandemic. But today, when I spotted Georgie in that group, I saw no recognition in her lovely blue eyes. Her advanced dementia precluded our usual chit chat about our families and grandkids, so instead, I asked her if we could sing together.

I wheeled her around to the fireplace where we sat facing each other, knee to knee, hand to hand, our foreheads almost touching.

We began with “Away in a Manger” and wouldn’t you know, Georgie knew all 3 verses! “Good King Wenceslas” was a disaster, so we quickly moved on to “Silent Night”. On verse 2, another voice chimed in, then another and another. All the women but one who appeared asleep, were singing or whispering or mouthing the words to the ancient carols.

A beautiful, holy Presence descended and Georgie’s hands gripped mine tighter. I knew she felt it too.

Words cannot describe it. This love, so profound, so pure left me unable to even croak out the last line, “Sleep in heavenly peace…sleep in heavenly peace.”

Though I couldn’t see them, I’m thinking a band of angels decided to hang outside in the lobby of the 3rd floor elevator that night.

By the way…

Earlier that day, I was in a foul mood. Among other things, our grandson’s gifts which he’d purchased on Amazon, had been scooped up from their front door by a thief. I was definitely not feeling the “Peace on earth, goodwill to all men” vibe.

But later, that same evening, while our band performed a song called “Panis Angelicus”, it occurred to me that I’d just received a gift. ‘Panis Angelicus” is latin for “angel’s bread” and man, it sure beats even my favourite sourdough!