SeattleAntiFreeze: Steady

STEADY, #SeattleAntifreeze, pt. 46------ Her neighbors finally had to ask, "Who's that singing?" All those years ago, when Carmen's mother told them the beautiful notes came from her two-year old daughter, they didn't want to believe her. How could a toddler be so wobbly on her feet and yet so steady with her voice? Carmen says the voice isn't entirely hers. She believes it's also God's. He gave it to her to do something good with it. And so she did. As a girl in New York she sang and sang. Then she moved to Seattle back in 1971. She came to study music at University of Washington. 45 years later, she found herself in the passenger seat of my car, telling me about her gift. She's not gone full circle, but there's a pronounced curve. Now you can see folks at nearby nursing homes and rehab centers perk up their ears when she and her Christian choral group come to visit. "Who's that singing?" Carmen's feet have gotten a little wobbly. But her voice is still steady. It's still a blessing. It's still her love. And her duty. "I can't not sing," she tells me. Thank God. --------------------------------------------- I was lucky enough to meet Carmen, providing a ride through Sound Generations (great organization). All I had to do was ask if she'd share her gift with me. And this is the wonderful answer I got. _________________________ After the Aurora Bridge crash, people in our area jumped into action, donating hotel rooms, blood, prayers, challenging Seattleites' reputation for being chilly (the "Seattle Freeze"). It inspired me to pass along stories of when we see people in the community coming together, or what I call #SeattleAntifreeze. If you know a story that should be told, let me know.

Posted by Monique Ming Laven on Tuesday, June 7, 2016