No pictures this week because it would have been rude to pull out my phone...
On Wednesday when I went into church choir practice, my music minister asked me how I felt about "old people" (his words, not mine). I told him, "I love them!" He then called me into his office and told me that he, along with some other church choir members as well as some colleagues I didn't know, were going to the Alabama Symphony Orchestra Friday and had an extra ticket. I'm assuming he asked because 1. I am hopelessly in love with music, and 2. I am single, and he only had one ticket. Of course I agreed, and he told me about the restaurant we would meet for dinner before.
When I first got this invitation, I knew that this would be my "new thing," because I'd never been to the restaurant. We went to dinner at a place called, "The Pita Stop." I believe it is a Lebanese restaurant, and I had NO idea what anything on the menu was! Not only was the food new to me, but the setting was different as well. I am used to being around people much older than me, primarily because I am an only child and my parents are rather old compared to me (mom was 40 when she had me). However, because of this, I am usually with my parents, or at least my mom, when I am in situations similar to this. This time, I was on my own. If you don't already know, I've developed a bit of an anxiety around social situations in recent years. I'm not sure how this came about, but it manifests itself in feeling extremely uncomfortable, increased heart rate, difficulty breathing (at times), muscle tension, avoiding social settings, avoiding eye contact at all costs, and feeling ashamed and unworthy. So, just being there, without my parents as security, with people I did not know well and people I did not know at all was definitely challenging and out of my comfort zone. I'm thinking of changing my resolution from "trying something new" to "getting out of my comfort zone," though those things are often synonymous.
But I digress. The socialization was a bit uncomfortable at first, but the people were warm and inviting and made me feel at ease. I tried a new food, called "Kafta Kabob Plate." That is "House specialty, Lebanese style meatballs topped w/ melted provolone cheese." Before I ordered, I told my dinner mates of my resolution, and they were incredibly supportive. When I ordered, they cheered me on, saying, "Wow, that is something new!" I still have NO idea what I ate, but it was delicious!
Later, at the ASO, I heard beautiful music. If I began to describe the magnificence, I would be here all night and my one reader would give up on this post. They played Trumpet Concerto in E-Flat Major by Franz Joseph Haydn, Trumpet Concerto No. 1, Op. 42 by Eino Tamberg, and finally, Symphony No. 4, Op. 36 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It was skill wrapped in finesse covered with a fine glaze of mastery. The ASO is quite possibly the best thing about Alabama.
So, all in all, I had an enriching, comfortably uncomfortable, and truly inspiring evening. Soli Deo Gloria!
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