Sometimes I just get an urge to write. I don’t think there is a great novel sitting inside me somewhere, but for someone who came to reading and writing late in school; I get a great deal of comfort and satisfaction from it. I completely understand why there are so many struggling at the moment and for a myriad of reasons. Apparent indecision from those who we expect to lead; conflicting standpoints from those we expect to advise and a lack of understanding and compliance from those who have no clear thought about how to react. I know that is simplifying the whole situation, but there has to be some light of positivity within us all to allow us to prevail and succeed. The commentators will comment, and not always correctly; those opposed to most things, will oppose most things and those who don’t really know will become experts. I would not assume to speak for most people, but I do speak for myself when I say that sometimes all we want is the clearest and perhaps not always the most popular decision to be made and then acted upon. Ah, yes but what if the situation changes? Then we must evaluate those changes, look at what could be the most likely scenario and adapt our advice. But is that too simplistic? I suppose it is! But without followers there are no leaders! But, when our leaders (and I use the term broadly, not just Government) inspire little or no trust, we are left with only ourselves and our innate ability to trust our own decision-making process and to do what we believe is right….and there lies a whole other direction of conversation.

I have been positive throughout the past few months and remain so, but only because I have inner personal strength and for that I am grateful. Anyone can be forgiven if the norm is truth and integrity. Both are sadly lacking at the moment and we desperately need a way of putting the people first. Division has become common place in our society, and it must not be allowed to grow any further. There will always be differences and I have to accept that, but more than ever there has to be an agreed and truthful way out of the current situation. A way forward that we can trust and support. My goodness, I am not sure I would know what to do, but if I could do anything I would try and unite us all; to bring us all together; to be one in the journey back to being generous, kind, and thoughtful.

So much has been taken from us this year, but I sincerely hope that everyone can look beyond that loss at what remains. We had taken simple things for granted and didn’t allow ourselves the time to reflect on what we had and what was important. We have had to deal with many changes over the past 10 months and trying to navigate a somewhat perilous road has not been easy for some. Indeed, the situation currently doesn’t look promising. But we will shortly be leaving 2020 behind us and we need to look forward with optimism and opportunity; and yes, for some it is going to be another hard journey, but one we must make.

I have written so much this year and have found it comforting and cathartic to put my thoughts on paper. There have been times, thankfully not very many when the situation has been overwhelming and I know that this has been a far greater struggle for others than it has been for me.

I have been busy, in fact very busy and this has helped me to focus on what has needed to be done. All of my work is about being with people and the daily interactions that I had become so used to stopped abruptly in March. But, like so many others I adapted and found a new and different way of working, and actually enjoyed the challenge. It has been humbling to witness the many great deeds of kindness and support that the organisations and groups I work with have given each other. Mirroring the many kind acts that as a country we have witnessed.

We all have our hopes for the New Year and perhaps a few fears as well, but we need to be strong and we need to believe that the situation will improve. Of course, it is taking longer than anyone envisaged, and our patience is growing thin, but we can and will beat it. We will succeed in the face of adversity and we will come through the other end, a little scarred maybe, but stronger and more determined and with the knowledge that we did it together.

I could, and frequently do comment on politics, but for now I am going to concentrate on what I need to do to support those around me. There are enough people to criticise and posture without me putting my opinion forward.

I have said this before, but I want to underline it here again, and in particular to my choirs in Altrincham, Honley and Chesterfield, as well as the members of The British and International Federation of Festivals. There have been many opportunities given to us this year and we have taken them and achieved so much together. We have grown as communities; taken time to listen to each other; supported each other and perhaps most importantly been there for each other.

If we are to learn anything from 2020 it is those things that we must remember and take with us into the New Year.

One more week of online/virtual rehearsals and I know we are all ready to have some time away from the screen. Back in March, many of us had not even heard of Zoom, let alone how to harness the technology to allow us to stay connected. But many of us worked through the teething problems, persevered, and succeeded. It has been a learning curve for us all! I have missed those members, who for whatever reason have not connected with us online and I am looking forward to seeing them all again when we can start to rehearse face to face. I hope that my weekly musings have made you realise that you have not been forgotten and that you are just as important as those who I have seen each week. There have been many acts of kindness throughout the past few months and feel that I have made great friends with those I have seen each week. I will try even harder to connect and draw us all back together when we can meet, as regardless of what you have or haven’t done, or how you have connected, you are all still an important part of our singing communities.

Zoom has taught me one thing! Faces can betray your innermost thoughts and seeing hundreds of faces on screen each week has been an interesting experience. I have learned to read people’s moods and even when mistakes are being made whilst singing muted, I have come to know what those mistakes are and have been able to remedy or support them. But your faces, even when silent, speak volumes!

We all need to remember the many kind things that have been achieved over the past months and in going forward to remember to listen to others as well as think before speaking. Everyone is important and their views should be respected. I have witnessed so much negativity in the press and social media and at times have found it quite disturbing. But never far from the surface has been individual acts of goodness.

Many of us have welcomed each other into our homes on a weekly basis and we have attempted to make online interactions seem normal. But what we must all do is value the contributions each of us makes whether big or small and when we are back together to appreciate everyone. It will take time for our choirs to come back fully, but until then let’s work together to support each other through the next few months until 2020 is a distant memory.

I have always been an emotional person, but more recently I seem to have become even more so, perhaps the emotional musical highs that I experienced on a weekly basis have become diminished and those emotions are now deep within me, ready to be released. I think that our collective experiences of being back in live music settings will impact us all when we least expect it! Until then……!

This time of year, I think we all begin to reflect on what we have achieved and look to what might come in the New Year. I haven’t really been one for making resolutions as I have never been able to keep to them. That’s not to say there is no value in making them, just that I am not particularly good with them! The time has gone surprisingly quickly, and we have all had to experience a vastly different way of living. Yet, we have adapted and, in some cases, taken advantage of the opportunities that have either been presented to us or that we have created for ourselves. But there has been loss and sadness in many families, and it must be difficult for those people to see any good in the past few months. But, as Andrew Lloyd Webber said on The Andrew Marr Show, he is an optimist and so am I. The journey toward live events may be slow in 2021, but we need to prepare and plan for that eventuality because it will come, and we will grab it mightily with both hands. I have a busy two weeks ahead and then my usual plan would have been to fly off to Spain for the New Year. But I have got used to being in my house – but haven’t we all – and I am simply going to put my feet up relax. But I shall be raring to go next year! I think we can all see a little glimmer of hope and the next few weeks will hopefully be a turning point. During the Summer months we all regained our love of nature and went walking and saw what we had around us. Since being back teaching I haven’t done that, but I do want to get out again over the Festive period, wrap up warm and go walking a little more and seeing the difference the Winter has brought. Yesterday was a day to simply enjoy two treasures in the film archive – who can fail to be moved at those heartfelt words ‘Daddy, My Daddy’ in the 1970 classic The Railway Children – it still makes me cry! And if that wasn’t enough, I followed that up with another classic from two years earlier – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! My favourite part, if you want to know is the moment they drive off Beachy Head and Chitty gets airborne! So many have said that they have got to know me better over the past few months, well I will keep revealing these little secrets, won’t I?