Tis the Gift to be Simple

There is a group home not far from here where I play occasionally with people with severe intellectual disabilities. I haven't been over there for awhile and so it was nice to see everyone again.  Most of the people there are so severely disabled, they do not sing or talk but they do make happy facial expressions and they do show they enjoy the music.

The few who do sing, love it and my favorite part of today was singing and talking to Clara about the song afterwards. Sometimes we sang together, "Take me Home, Country Roads", "Down by the Riverside", "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot", etc. Other times Clara would sing one by herself, "Jesus Loves me" and my solo song was, "Let there be Peace on Earth". After that song, Clara said, "Yeah! I love that song because it says everything! We have to be good people and do the right thing and if we did, the world would be a better place!"  Then we sang a few more church songs, "Sweet By and By", "What a Friend We Have in Jesus.".

I was surprised that Clara remembered me so well. She said, "where have you been? it is nice to see you again."  Later as I was getting ready to leave,  we reached for each others' hand to hold and Clara said, "I love singing with you because you bring the Spirit here.  Sometimes there is no Spirit in the afternoon with some people. "

I was also given a gift of a painted wooden doll (pictured above) by man who also likes to sing. With him we sang, "Stand by me", "Lean on me", "My Girl". 

Today was an impromptu visit as I was not scheduled to go there but I called and asked if I could come by. I am glad I did. I appreciate the simplicity I see in them and it reminds me of that Quaker song, "Tis the Gift to be Simple"

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
  'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.