By Lynda Shadbolt

We’ve all got to do things that make us happy.
We are all different, and we are all evolving. I think we are all happiest when we are doing something we love and something that involves our senses.
Maybe we are listening to music we enjoy, or tasting a delicious homemade meal, or watching a sunrise or a sunset or a favourite sporting event, or maybe we are playing with a child or grandchild. We are happy when we feel connected and when our senses are engaged.
I have a dog that I walk once, twice, sometimes three times a day. It honestly keeps me smiling and active every day. Being in nature surrounded by beauty makes me happy. I’m not the only dog walker out in the area. I often run into other people.
One day a few weeks ago, I was enjoying a walk and could hear someone singing loudly. I smiled and carried on. I heard the singer a few days in a row and began to wonder who it was. The person sounded very enthusiastic.
Several days later I ran into Harry Morgan, minister of the United Church and long-time neighbour. He was singing at the top of his lungs as he walked his two dogs. In passing, he said to me, “Don’t mind me, I’m just practicing for a performance.”
I smiled and carried on walking and listening to him in the background. When I got home, I told my husband, who had also heard the singing. We both thought that the United Church must be rocking on Sunday mornings to the tunes of Neil Diamond and Chicago!
We continued to listen to Harry sing for a couple of weeks. It made me smile every time I heard him. Last weekend, I had a few friends who told me they were going to a dance at the Legion with a band they had never heard of and thought were from out of town.
They invited Jim and I to go, and normally we would, but we were attending a Celebration of Life for a friend and couldn’t go. In the days following the dance, I have talked to a number of my friends who attended. It was a fundraiser for SIRCH.
I learned the dance was sold out and that people had a great night of dancing to all kinds of favourite rock and pop music. The perfect thing to be doing in the middle of February.
The 10 piece band, called Adverse Conditions, was from Haliburton, and Harry, the dog walking singer, was the lead singer. What I had been listening to in the meadow was Harry rehearsing the songs that he was performing at that dance.
Adverse Conditions covers music by Neil Diamond, Chicago, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Michael Buble, Joe Cocker and more. I watched a few videos of the band that people posted on social media. They were having a great time.
Harry Morgan, Minister by Day, Rock and Roll singer by night. I’m sorry we missed the great event that supported SIRCH, but we will be there next time. And I look forward to hearing Harry rehearse out in the meadow for his next performance!