Another night

Autumn is really here--leaves are changing color, falling, and people are wrapped in more and more layers, walking faster and faster on the street, against the growing breeze. We are officially heading toward the end of the year. Time flies.

I went to the children's hospital after work today. Halloween is my least favorite day of the year, but I keep reminding myself that this is another day that God has given us, no matter what the world makes it to be. I dusted off the fatigue from a day at the office, pumped a little cheerfulness into my steps, remembering for a second to be thankful for the ability to travel by myself and feel my violin case on my shoulders.

We visited the pediatric ICU, the epilepsy unit, and the oncology unit tonight. Part of the reason why we were able to cover so much "ground" was because many children we saw were so ill that we could not visit them. Despite all the festivities outside of the hospital and even in the corridor (the hospital really made an effort in decorating, and some of the staff even dressed up), there were rooms that were off-limit to the world outside. Some of them were so dark inside that we could hardly see the children on the bed or the parents who spent many sleepless nights on the sofa next to them. My guide, who dressed up as a pink fairy, tried to bring some "atmosphere" into each room by flapping the shiny plastic wings on her back. Some children were clearly excited to see that, but some could care less.

With every piece of music I bring, I prayed for each child. They need so much more than what we were able to bring--but maybe what we bring is part of what they need.