A little night music

Last night we had the joy and privileged of spending some time with dear friends.
They had come over to help my husband with a little project earlier that morning.  During that time we were invited to go out for an evening cruse and BBQ on their boat.  After a little discussion we were encouraged to bring Mom and join them.  I was a little concerned about having her "stuck" on a boat for so long.  This was a new dance for Shelarose and I was worried that she would be overwhelmed by it all.

I was pleasantly surprised at how calm she was most of our journey.  We enjoyed a beautiful late afternoon watching the sights and boats twirl past us like ballroom dancers.  Each looking splendid in the last stunning rays of sunlight and trying to look just a little more spectacular than the last, yet still seeming to be united on this waterfront dance.  It was quite beautiful and Mom just quietly soaked it all in.

We arrived at our destination and BBQ-ed, watched the kids play in the skiff and watched a full moon rise over the water and the sky turn the most beautiful shade of lavender. As night fell around us, the lights of other boats and the city began to twinkle, not to be outdone by the starry array displayed above us.

This was when I noticed Mom had changed. Something in her tune was different.  She all of the sudden became very animated and joined in the dance.  She was like that young girl at her first dance who sat at the wall, waiting for the right song.  She sat patiently, waiting, waiting.  Then Shelarose heard it.  The song that moved her to join the rest of us.  It was perhaps a different song than ours but still able to move her to join the dance.

Mom started to view everything around her with wonder.  I watched her eyes light up as she sat in awe at the full moon and asked us "do you see him?  You can see his face".  She viewed the Space Needle lit up in it's evening finery as if she had never seen it before.  It was all so amazing to her!
She had, a bit earlier, began to wave.  We had, earlier in the evening, when it was light, waved to the occasional boat that passed us.  Mom seemed to be waving at no one.  It was dark. It was then that I realized, she wasn't waiving at others, she was directing her own tune. A little night music.

Mom continued to lead her private orchestra the entire way home.  You could see the joy and pleasure on her face.  As we arrived back at the dock her music stopped and it was time to end the dance for the night.  Her disease had started to take control and agitation began to creep in. 

Once safely home and in bed, she was quiet and calm.  Surely she dreamed of the evenings dance and the gift of her own night music.