“A Year of Wonder”, classical music for every day, is a book I was “fixin’ to” (as we say here in Texas) study. While I wouldn’t wish the spark that lit a fire for me to get going on anyone, it’s been one of the most rewarding studies I’ve done.
On March 20, 2020, my husband lost his job in the oilfield when operations were shut down due to COVID-19. It came as a shock to both of us, especially with me having just launched Cinnamon Sparks. Scary, to say the least. Enter “A Year of Wonder,” which happened to be at the top of my “fixin to” or my “someday” stack of books when he delivered the news.
I knew I would need another sanity tether, so I added “A Year of Wonder” to my morning devotional time. Clemency Burton-Hill describes a new piece of classical music each day, including the composer’s circumstances, inspiration, collaborators, and detractors. I searched the music on my phone and created a playlist I now use in meetings and facilitated sessions.
Here are some things I noticed that continue to offer inspiration:
- Great music was created to celebrate holidays, love, family and to mark critical life transitions.
- The majority of music described had to be performed live by multiple musicians to be heard.
- Many gifted women composed voraciously and were rarely published, let alone acclaimed during their lifetime, yet they persevered.
- New ideas and approaches were just as risky and criticized as they are today, and they were just as necessary to move forward, build on the past, and improve the future.
- Each day I am transported to a different time and hear music I am confident I never would have otherwise discovered.
Most importantly, out of personal difficulty came the opportunity for me to commit to something new. Without that push, I may never have been exposed to such beauty and then be able to share it with you!