Cross Referencing

My electronic connectivity is scattershot and unreliable under current circumstances, but other connections are more than filling the space.

As we sit vigil with Muth, we often play music for her and ourselves. One day Barby pulled out Muth's hymnal from a drawer in the bedstand, thinking she might sing Muth some hymns. When Barby opened the book, she found a penciled list written by Muth, enumerating her favorite hymns. Bingo—hymns for the memorial service! Connection.

One of the hymns is "On a Hill Far Away," also known by us as "The Old Rugged Cross." It's a hymn Futh and former choir members have sung to Muth in recent months because, even in her wordlessness, even with a stroke under her belt, even with advanced dementia, when she's heard that hymn she's often joined in with her beautiful singing voice. Connection.

Marj and Futh stopped by West Parish Congregational Church yesterday to take a look at the sanctuary with an eye towards what flower arrangements we might want and to borrow a hymnal so we can finalize some details for the memorial service. Futh picked up a hymnal at random. When he opened the cover, he saw a bookplate on which the following information was inscribed: Given by Carolyn and Walter Hatch (Muth and Futh) in memory of Dorothy and Carl Chase (Muth's parents). Connection.

When I checked my email yesterday, I saw Karen Werner's blogpost in which she discussed the loose cruciform design of her composition. I had a guess as to what cruciform design was, but went online and had fun researching it to learn more—an old rugged cross, methinks! Connection!

The Old Rugged Cross
4x6", mixed media on canvas paper
abstract
2015
$24