three and a half years

3.5 years ago, I started my first job as a real music director.
After years of singing in high school choirs, church choirs, taking piano lessons, playing piano at Mass, and several years of organ lessons, I knew it was time.
It was almost like...what I was made for. (But who God knows my future, only time will tell.)
Someday, I really should type up my whole musical history, how everything has led me towards this, how perfectly it all fits together...and then I think, how exciting! I wonder what will come next...?

For those 3.5 years, "Today's Liturgy" has been my friend, to varying degrees. Originally, I used almost all of their song suggestions (it helped that the church I was working at also had OCP hymnals, whereas now I can't even use some of the songs if I wanted to; they're not in the Ritual Song!)
but now I pretty much glance at them, see if there's any possibilities, and just use the spaces they give to write down my own song/choral plan for upcoming weeks.

My point in this whole entry, is that over the past 3.5 years, I would occasionally think about the 3-year lectionary cycle, and how neat it would be to finally have gone through a whole cycle...and technically never have to plan another Mass! I have saved all of those issues of "Today's Liturgy..." And yet, I somehow passed the 3-year mark without even a passing thought.

It amazes and terrifies me to think of how my song selections have changed over those past 3.5 years. Most of what I programed 3 years ago, I hope and pray that I will never (or never have to,) use again. I know it was filled with songs like "We Remember," "Be Not Afraid," even "Sing of the Lord's Goodness," (the one that sounds like Take 5. My choir director at the time found it, and was like "let's teach this!" so we did, and I liked it, and even the priest told me to use it a lot, cuz the people liked it. This was at the church where I was the only person under 50 ever in attendance...)

Anyhow, my heart feels faint at the thought of even opening up those old issues of "Today's Liturgy" where I recorded the weekly music selections. (much less would I even consider using my selections from the same Sunday 3 years ago, so I dodn't have to plan the music again!)

but I will save them, so that some day, when the recent past is ancient and fascinating history, rather than a reminder of my younger days.
however, I couldn't have done it any differently. I had to use those songs. The people weren't ready for anything else, although I did introduce some good songs to them (I have no idea what happened after I left.) and the priest certainly wouldn't have supported anything different.

and I'm reminded of how lucky I am to have such a great job, with a priest who has a similar mind to mine, and a congregation (mostly) interested in good, high quality Sacred Music.