spent the evening last night in the company of greatness. greatness being the gospel choir rehearsal i sat in on, where a little girl can improvise a gospel solo, albeit a bit off tempo, with confidence and enthusiasum as the rest of us cheer her on with interludes of song. where when you stand and say your name the welcome is sincere and energetic. where we sing together over the rhythms of a pianist who ministers with deceptive cadence and quality modulation. it has been so long since i sat in a choir, joined in, listened to harmony around me, felt stimulated and alive in that way. and so i sit smiling on the inside and am bouyed by the rooms' strong relaxation. this is the kind of teacher i want to be, one whose class reverberates with encouragement. one where the welcome is strong enough for us all to sing out loud and in our own way.