For the Sake of a Song

What is there that can make people from all walks of life – unemployed, wealthy, married, divorced, staunch Democrats, hardcore Republicans, Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Catholics, Church of Christ, Pentecostals, agnostics, saints and sinners, politicians, apolitical, black and white, PhD’s and high school graduates, professional and amateur musicians – lay aside their differences and join together in harmony?  If is for the sake of a song.

For the past 18 years it has been my privilege to direct a community chorus made up of 30-40 singers whose backgrounds are described above. For 18 years these people have met once a week and for two hours laid their differences at the entrance to our rehearsal hall and focused on make harmony with each other.  Then they go on the road together, traveling on a bus for days, in order to share their song with others.  The result is nothing short of magical.

Surely to goodness if a small group people can lay aside their differences for the sake of a song, we can all lay aside our differences for things even greater. 

We don’t have to agree on every point

in order to get along

                                                                                               for the good of humanity.

Greg Gilpin wrote a powerful song about how we must “rise above the wall” of our differences.  Click on the link below and listen to my chorus performing this wonderful song at the Dixie Carter Performing Arts Center.  And instead of looking for ways you can disagree with others, look for things you can agree on.

Rise Above the Walls