since my last post, i’ve traveled to bahrain, holland, nigeria, senegal, and several other fabulous and inspiring locales.  i couldn’t be more thankful for such a fabulous year to reflect upon and even more experiences to look forward to.

indeed, 2011 is off to a wonderful new start and, last week, i had the opportunity to return to the small town that i called home throughout most of my childhood and adolescence.  as far back as i can remember, krannert center for the performing arts at the university of illinois has always been the preeminent regional performance center where my family and i would go to watch traveling symphonies and internationally renowned artists.   you can imagine how elated i was when invited by krannert to do three concerts there that would mark my debut performance in champaign.  when the tickets sold out four months in advance, i was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and love from the greater community.

krannert and i decided it would be great to do some community outreach while i was there too, so they put together a week full of activities with organizations/institutions i was once affiliated with and still hold dear to my heart.  the picture above is a photo at my former elementary school just after spending an afternoon of music with the ADORABLE kids now in school there.  despite the fact that everything was much smaller than i remember, it was so special to be back there after so many years.

among many other community engagement activities, performing for the patients and caretakers at the carle cancer center was also one of the most memorable.  going to the place my mother worked as an oncology nurse for two decades and where my beloved father received care in his final days, was emotional and reaffirming and difficult and beautiful and and and…. all at once.  i kept remembering all the times i’d walked through that very place with my father’s hand in mine – him at his weakest, but still full of courage.  i kept remembering all the nights my mother stayed there either for the sake of work or for the sake of love.  i kept remembering the sacrifices that both of them made for my entire family.   i kept wishing daddy was there to hear and see my return home to krannert and the community, to wave at me from the audience with his elegant yet humble nature, or to tease me with his gentle heart and humor.  but he wasn’t.  and as much as that thought broke my heart multiple times over the course of the week, being at the cancer center to offer comfort to those still in the fight strengthened me in some way and i am thankful for that.

my beautiful mom, however, came to every show.  sometimes she sang along with me from her front and center seat – her eyes bright, her smile beaming, at times her tears rolling.  and on saturday’s closing performance, while i sang the lyrics of “enganjyani”, it was my mom’s presence that lifted me to bathe myself in the emotion of being home and share my open heart.  and, in that moment, when tears rolled down my own face and my voice cracked through my cadenza, i knew both of my parents were there and my heart lifted too… happy to be home.

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