Michele Mele - Blog

The first time I felt really small was as a soprano in our large choir (at university), singing a Bach Cantata. I can’t remember which one exactly, but I remember being in awe of the magnificence of the exaltation !!! I felt the “glory of god”…and I’m not the least bit religious. In fact, you might call me an atheist. I don’t like labels. I just call myself me.

It was the energy, joy and wonder of mankind that had been illustrated through the magic of 60 voices raised together in song. I felt so tiny compared to the gift of Bach.

It hit me really hard again, at a Herbie Hancock concert in Toronto about 10 years ago.

His facility with music, the ease at which the music flowed and intertwined through all of us…the musicians on stage and in the audience (it was full of musicians of course), was spellbinding. Once again the gift of the universe shone so brightly that I felt dwarfed in the midst of it. It was a wonderful feeling… a full of wonder feeling.

Yesterday, in Florence, Italy, I was once more uplifted through my reverence for the eminence before me. The accomplishment of dreamers throughout history is, thankfully, constantly, overwhelming. The power and grandeur of art, as it is released through emotions of individuals who have dedicated themselves to becoming the best possible vehicles for the beauty in the universe - our hearts - takes us out of the physical, and right into the core or “cuore” of our being.

Out of the present into the present. We are small among the greatness and great at the smallness.

Every morning, every season I go for a walk with Lucky at 6:30. Most mornings I receive some kind of gift: I see a group of deer just in front of me, frost sparkling on the tiny branches, some inner issue becomes clear, big snowflakes, stillness, amazingly textured mud, etc.

Something really special happened recently, and I think there is a message somewhere, but I’m not sure what it is. I thought by writing about it I could gain some clarity.

As I walked through the dew-drenched tall grass, I noticed small perfect orbs glistening in the sunlight. There were thin long lines strung across the pathway that I had to step over at times. There were teeny tiny webs down among the short grass and big circles attached to the taller weeds. I have never seen so many webs in my life. Never!

So many sizes, too, that it made me wonder what the universe was trying to tell me….

Perhaps to illustrate the strength in elegant, delicate, persistence, or the beauty everywhere, or remind me that though we appear frail we still have great potential…or maybe it was just that there are a lot of hungry spiders out there!!!!!

…and too many mosquitoes!

hahahaha