Ann Hampton Callaway

A few weeks ago, Fred and I were to attend the annual production of "Yuletide" for which our very good friends Clare Henkel had designed the costumes. "Yuletide" is the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's annual holiday concert, hosted each year by many different singers over the years. Unfortunately, we were not able to attend the Final Dress as we had in the past because Fred was suffering from a really bad cold/flu and we thought that we would totally miss the production, but Clare was able to arrange for tickets for us on Wednesday, December 10th. Plus, as an added treat Clare had arranged for us to actually meet Ann Hampton Callaway after the show! intruding upon celebrities is not within our comfort zone, probably from having worked in the "industry" in our previous lives, but I am a big fan of Ann Hampton Callaway and this was a very special opportunity. During the show, AHC sang a song that she had written -- not a happy Christmas song -- but a special song for those who were experiencing loss during the holiday season, The song is "God Bless My Family" and is on the CD "This Christmas" which is available at amazon.con and iTunes for MP3 download. To make the song even more special her sister Liz Callaway, another Broadway star, had flown out from New York that night to surprise her and they sang the song as a duet, just as they had recorded it for the album. The song had me in tears as it touched the heartbreak and sorrow I am gong through. Then, to top it all off, I had to opportunity to thank her for the song and tell her how much the song meant to me. She has even allowed me to become a friend of hers on Facebook and we have occasionally left messages for each other. What a wonderful gift for Christmas and I can never thank Clare enough for giving me the opportunity to meet AHC and to learn of the song. "God Bless My Family" has become a sort of anthem for my Christmas and helps me get through the darker moments that occasionally overwhelm me. Please, if you have a chance, visit her website, sample her music, AND buy her CDs or download them. She's a talent to know about and enjoy, especially because she is so down-to-earth and very real. I'd post her picture and quote lyrics, but I'm sure that there are copyright laws to consider, so I ask you to check out her website when you have the time.

Christmas is less than a week away. I look forward to it with such mixed feelings. It will be, again, one of those "firsts" and probably the hardest to get through. (Who knows if I'll say the same when Mother's/Father's Day, birthdays, anniversary, memorial days, etc. come along. I don't want the holidays to be a period of pain and sorrow, but maybe that is what this Christmas needs to be in order to allow myself to get through it. I couldn't ask for a better situation, to be surrounded by the ones I love, but it will be so empty, too, as the ones I care about the most will not be there...ever. Some how I'll survive. I don't know how. That Higher Being never gives one more to bear than what is bearable, but does there need to be that kind of test?

Somehow, somewhere...it will all make sense.