Rib night at The Gator is the highlight of Eli’s week. He and his wife, Marta go every Thursday for the good comfort food, great drinks, and live music. He’s become friends with everyone in the band, often staying after closing time chatting and laughing with the group as they enjoy their on-the-house ribs.
Sitting with the band last Thursday, Eli heard something that nearly broke his heart.
“Chet’s moving to be closer to his grandkids and, until we find another trumpet player, we might have to take a break from this gig for a while,” said Jerry, who Eli has always respected as a dynamite keyboardist.
“If you know of anyone, pass it along!” Cynthia leaned into the table, waving a half-eaten rib in Eli’s direction, as if it were one of her drumsticks.
Eli was deep in thought, arguing with himself about what to say next. See, he played trumpet from high school through college and, while he would pick it up for bits of time through the years, he felt wildly out of practice. He enjoyed listening to the band play ska and reggae every week, but neither style was in his wheelhouse. He sat quietly and smiled back at Cynthia, swirling the copper-colored liquid in his glass.
Later that night, he recounted what happened at the band table to Marta as she brushed her teeth. She gargled, then let out a shallow, loving sigh.
“Okay, I honestly can’t imagine anything you’d enjoy more than playing music with those folks. You may be a bit rusty, sure, but you’ll practice with them, right? Go ahead and call them. At least let them know you play.” She smoothed her pillow and patted his shoulder.
“Plus, I’d love to watch you perform up there.”
“I’ll sleep on it, honey. I’ll tell you though, you pretty much convinced me!”
All his dreams that night seemed to involve him up on stage, playing and having the time of his life. Jerry was floored when he rang him later that week and offered to try out.
“This is the best news I’ve gotten in a while, pal!” Jerry crooned, before inviting Eli to the weekend’s jam session.
Spring is nature’s restart: plants sprout up from seed through the once frozen soil, and what once was dark and grey, is now bright and popping with more and more color and life. Even as we age, we never stop blooming and growing, so it’s important to feed our minds and souls with new beginnings and fresh pursuits. Follow nature’s lead and start something new in this season. Or, take a beloved interest or hobby further and challenge yourself to grow with it, like Eli did. Let’s allow the vibrant changes of spring to inspire us in moving forward and starting something fresh.
If you or someone in your family are facing aging challenges, please give us a call at 585-787-0009 or email us at lmiraglia@seniorschoicecare.com. We’ll be happy to assist!
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