God - Part One

This time it started Thursday night when Rudy brought home a CD from Starbucks, of all places. It has mostly classic Christmas songs by people like Frank Sinatra, Lena Horn, Dean Martin, and others and a couple of newer recordings by Diana Krall and Portland's Pink Martini. Anyway, I was enjoying the light and jolly music until I was, um, seized by the last song, Silent Night, sung by Mahalia Jackson. I'd heard of Mahalia Jackson, and had probably heard her sing, but this time I was really paying attention and, well, wow.
Mahalia Jackson is the one singing How I Got Over in the YouTube video in my previous post. Find a time when you can give it your full attention. Listen to what she's saying. See if you're not moved somehow. It's a bad recording of a poor transmission, but light shines through her like a beacon, like she's standing in a shaft of sunlight on a dark day, holding a big mirror aimed at your soul. It is startling and powerful.