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SKYLARK'S ARTICLE OF THE WEEK - SINGING WITH NEW FRIENDS
As I stepped out of a wooden cabin in a park nearby, there was a group of people singing Christmas Carols. It was Christmastime, and local artisans were selling their creations inside. I bought a handmade bird for my sister. We met the artisan on a recent walk together. The choral group's leader introduced herself. "Hi. I'm Dottie. Do you want to sing with us?" We exchanged phone numbers.
A few days later, my phone rang. "Hi. We met the other day at the Wohseepee Park Cabin. Remember me?" Of course, I remembered Dottie. Her name was memorable. My mother and my sister are named Dottie. I was interested. I love singing.
I've been singing in choirs since I was in Middle School. It's something I'm comfortable with. I love the different parts we have to learn and the blending of voices. Throughout most of the 90's, I sang with folk legend, Pete Seeger, in his New York City Street Singers. We performed songs from around the world. Some were peace movement songs while others were anti-war songs. And others were just fun songs to sing.
Pete Seeger was a pied piper. Even if a song he chose didn't resonate with you, you sang it anyway with childlike enthusiasm. But there's a darker pied piper called the Pied Piper of Hamelin. He's a legendary figure from 13th-century Germany known for leading away the town’s children after being cheated on payment for ridding the town of rats.
The Legend
The story originates from Hamelin (Hameln), Lower Saxony, Germany, around 1284. According to the legend, the town suffered a severe rat infestation. A mysterious piper, dressed in multicolored ("pied") clothing, appeared and promised to remove the rats in exchange for payment. Using his magical pipe, he lured the rats into the Weser River, where they drowned. When the townspeople refused to pay him the agreed sum, he returned on Saint John and Paul's day and led away 130 children, who were never seen again, except for a few who were lame, blind, or deaf and could not follow him.
Historical Content
While the story has fantastical elements, it is based on real events recorded in medieval Hamelin. Church records, town chronicles, and a stained-glass window (circa 1300) documented the disappearance of the children. Historians suggest several possible explanations: the "children" may have been people who migrated eastward for farmland, or they may have perished in a disaster such as disease or a landslide. Over time, these events were transformed into a cautionary tale.
Cultural Significance
The Pied Piper has been retold by Goethe, the Brothers Grimm, and Robert Browning, among others. The term "pied piper" has entered modern language as a metaphor for someone who attracts followers through charm or false promises, often leading them into danger. The story serves as a warning about broken promises, civic responsibility, and the consequences of deceit.
Legacy
Hamelin commemorates the legend through memorials, literature, and folklore, and the tale continues to influence popular culture, symbolizing both the allure of charismatic leaders and potential peril of blind trust.
Dottie is a pied piper. I'm glad she's leading us in singing together. We meet in her beautiful home on a lake each week. It's better than any conversation.
Peace and Love,
Skylark
At 60 and Beyond, singing can make you very, very happy, especially with a group of new friends. Thanks, Dottie.
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SKYLARK'S PICK OF THE WEEK
The pick of the week is the launch of Artemis 2 space craft to orbit the moon. It's been 50 years. A big step for mankind. Onward!
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SKYLARK'S HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK
The highlight of the week was seeing Daffodils in bloom. One day, they just appear. Blessed Spring!
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SKYLARK'S INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OF THE WEEK
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SKYLARK'S PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Dear God,
Guide us with your love and light through all of our days and nights. Amen.
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SKYLARK'S ITALIAN PHRASE OF THE WEEK
English: Praise the Lord!
Italian: Lodate il nostro dio.
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SKYLARK'S INTERIOR DECORATING TIP OF THE WEEK
Religious pictures can be a beautiful accent to your home. They can create a sense of history and humility.
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SKYLARK'S QUESTION OF THE WEEK
What inspires you around this time of year?
Please put your answer in the Comment section under this post. I'd love to hear from you.
SKYLARK'S SONG OF THE WEEK - APRIL IN PARIS by ELLA FITZGERALD
LYRICS
April in Paris, chestnuts in blossom
Holiday tables under the trees
April in Paris, this is a feeling
No one can ever reprise
I never knew the charm of spring
Never met it face to face
I never knew my heart could sing
Never missed a warm embrace
Till April in Paris, whom can I run to?
What have you done to my heart?
April in Paris, chestnuts in blossom
Holiday tables under the trees
April in Paris, this is a feeling
No one can ever reprise
I never knew the charm of spring
Never met it face to face
I never knew my heart could sing
Never missed a warm embrace
Till April in Paris, whom can I run to?
What have you done to my heart?
One more time
April in Paris, chestnuts in blossom
April in Paris
Just one more time
April in Paris, chestnuts in blossom
April in Paris.
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I created my brand, Skylark Live, when I turned 60 years old and noticed a profound shift in this age. I wanted to talk about it and share what I was experiencing with the hope of helping other women as well. My brand consists of a weekly newsletter and a monthly vlog designed to motivate and inspire women over 60 to thrive in mature ageing through knowledge and self-awareness. I am open to conducting in-person conversations called The Skylark Sessions. These can be held in someone’s home or at a local library or senior center. To be continued.
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