I've been struggling to find my voice on this platform, but my perfectionistic nature has finally relented. So now, I'm just going to share some beautiful stories from my week. Some weeks I might post if I have something good to share; if not, you won’t hear from me. But this week, I want to talk about a new choir I joined.
I didn’t mean to join this choir—I accidentally found myself in it. It’s a big group of elderly people, all at least 30 years older than me. It all began one night when I went to my parents' neighborhood to cover some classes I was teaching. After finishing and locking up, I was walking back to my car when I heard singing. It was coming from a church, and they were singing a beautiful song from The Sound of Music.
Curious, I walked right up to the doors. A woman with a badge was standing there and asked if I wanted to come in and see what they were about. I said yes and sat in one of the back pews. She gave me music to follow along with, but I was restless, thinking I shouldn’t be there. I was the youngest by a mile and felt I should be doing “young” things. But as I sat there, I found myself really enjoying it.
During the session, I noticed a back row of women kept looking back at me. One had a walker, and the other two looked like rebels, zoning out occasionally. They kept turning around to look at me. When I got up to go to the bathroom (and to leave, since I can’t sit still for long), these women noticed and called me over to sit with them. They roped me into singing with them, and I decided to calm down and just enjoy the experience.
We sang songs from Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King, The Sound of Music, Chicago, and Mamma Mia. It was actually really cute. These women started getting to know me, and I let slip that I’m in a movie. Now, every time I come in, the woman with the walker, who always sits on the end, tells everyone that I know “Ken” from the Barbie movie (meaning Ryan Gosling). They’re infatuated with the fact that I spent time with him.
The Back Pew Bandits
One new lady in her 60s sat next to me and was full of life. She seemed like a rebel in her younger years. When we sang "Do-Re-Mi" from The Sound of Music, she stood up and sat down like the Von Trapp kids, and I joined in. We're the altos, which in choir speak, means we sing the lower harmony. It’s been great hanging out with these women—they’re so nosy but also so beautiful.
The treasurer and the president of the choir asked if I’d like to join officially. These women are incredibly organised, ensuring everyone can get to and from practice, especially those who can’t drive. They handle announcements, carpool arrangements, and more. I really enjoy the community aspect of it. Couples come together, and it’s been wonderful relaxing into liking what I like without caring about anyone’s opinion. Being among these elderly people has made me comfortable with myself.
Some older women are nosy, while others just don’t give a damn. They are my soul sisters. When God was making our souls, I swear we came from the same soul soup cauldron. That’s my update on what I’ve been up to this week, creatively.
If you want to join a choir, there are so many in Sydney. It’s great for the brain and connecting with people. It’s just an all-around good feeling.
Alrighty, well, I hope you have a good week. I’ll be back soon with more of my random adventures. Bye!
How I accidentally Joined a Choir, and made friends with Elderly Women