Even in the worst of times, moments of delight can be found. Moments that renew your faith in humanity. Moments that help you through. Here is one such moment, courtesy of my friend Rachael Heenan.
Even amidst and through the cruelty and chaos, the disruption and devastation wrought by Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, life finds a way to continue. Love continues. Music continues. Serendipity continues.
My friend Rachael Heenan is a quite lovely and truly caring soul. I have not been having the best time of it these past few months. I have written about it a few times recently*, in the hope that even one soul somewhere out there might have pause to think about their own mental health and self-care, even if just for a moment. A number of beautiful souls have taken the time to contact me in response to what I wrote, to offer support or just to check in on how I am doing. Rachael is one of them.
Earlier this month, Rachael took the time out of her day to share with me the following delightful, brief story. In just a few short words, she told me a beautiful, tiny story of serendipity and music, war and love. Rachael said:
“I have an 8 year old from Ukraine coming to stay with her family with me. She’s a musician and her parents were worried about her not being able to play. The village hall is being refurbished and they asked if anyone wants a piano. Perfect timing. Anyway the point of all this, when I’m having a tough time little stories like that helped.”
As Rachael says, perfect timing. Such a perfect moment of serendipity. It made my heart soar to hear about that piano becoming available at the precise moment when it could do the most to bring joy to a war-displaced child (and relief to her parents).
A little gift from the universe
Music is a higher form of communication. Music allows us to glimpse a perfect realm of beauty beyond anything words can capture. Music is a gift to us, an escape from the cruelty and chaos that so often runs rampant in this world.
The piano in Rachael’s little story is a little gift from the universe. It gives that little eight year old girl from Urkaine the gift of some continuity in what is a time of huge upheaval for her. It also gives her a gift that will keep on giving. It gives her the gift of being able to play music, and thereby share the gift of music with others.
Moments of delight
This brief and beautiful story of Rachael’s is a little gift. It brought me such joy that I thought it might do the same for others, too. I am thankful to Rachael for her generosity in allowing me to share it with you, gentle reader.
No matter how you are feeling in this moment, there is always hope, if you need it. There is always help, if you need it. There are beautiful souls out there. Don’t be afraid to seek help or signs of hope, if that is what you need to do.
Even in the worst of times, moments of delight can be found. Moments that renew your faith in humanity. Moments that help you through.
Through it all, beauty continues. Serendipity continues. Love continues.
If you have the opportunity today, be kind to someone who might not expect it. That someone might even be yourself.
May today be nothing but kind to you and yours.
RESOURCES
- How can I offer a UK home to Ukrainian refugees? Guidance from the BBC website.
- Please consider making a donation to the Disasters Emergerncy Committee’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal campaign.
- Mental health (NHS) Information and support for your mental health from the NHS.
- Information and support (Mind) Resources from Mind, the UK mental health charity.
- NAMI Homefront (NAMI) Online resources from US charity NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness).
- SANE Australia Visit the site of this “national mental health charity making a real difference in the lives of people affected by complex mental health issues”.
FOOTNOTES
* See Into the infinity of thoughts and Renewal for more on what these past few months have meant for me.
IMAGES
- Rihard Jakopič By the Piano via Wikimedia Commons.
- A-lady-playing-the-piano Holsoe via Wikimedia Commons.
- A photograph of the eight year old girl from Ukraine, seated at her piano at her home in Ukraine, courtesy of Rachael Heenan
- Whistler – At the Piano via Wikimedia Commons.
MJCarty 
