A Mystery

For years now, on Wednesday evenings during Lent, our congregation gathers for a potluck supper followed by Holden Evening Prayer. Towards the end of the service, in a very beautiful section, there is a soprano solo that leads into The Magnificat. For several years, Pam was that soprano; this year Anna Lisa has been doing that part. About halfway through the soprano's solo, Misty, one of our alto singers, joins in. The blending of their two voices is so lovely that it brings tears.

. . . .

One year Misty wasn't up with the choir; she was in the pew with a new baby. On the first and second Wednesdays, her voice was missed. "Couldn't something be done?" people wondered. And something was done. Misty simply sang her part from the congregation.

. . . .

This past week, I didn't see Misty up front with the choir. When it was time for the soprano solo, I was afraid it wasn't going to be as moving -- we've really come to need Misty's part. But all was well -- the alto part joined in right on time from the congregation. I didn't turn around to confirm that it was Misty; I didn't need to. She must have arrived too late to dress for choir.

. . . .

On Sunday I ran into her and told her once again how important her music is to me and to Joe. "Not this past week, it wasn't!" she replied. "I wasn't here." I was confused. "But I heard you," I told her. You were singing from the back of the congregation." "No, it must have been someone else. I wasn't here."

. . . .

I checked with Joe. "Who was the alto singing from the congregation last Wednesday?" "No one," he responded. "Misty wasn't here and it didn't sound as good without her." "Didn't someone else sing her part? I know I heard it." "No," he confirmed. "Nobody sang the alto. You must have heard what you needed to hear."

. . . .

I've seen those printed exercises where the brain fills in missing letters to make sense of clumps of consonants without vowels, and other things of that nature. Is it possible that the brain -- my brain -- could have filled in a piece of music that wasn't there because I needed it?

. . . .

Or was it something else?