Today, among other things, I’m grateful for Beethoven. This morning at church we sang a hymn based on his Ode to Joy as the recessional at the end of the service. Today was the first day I’d almost made it through church without crying somewhere during the service, usually during some hymn or other.
(What is it about music? I’m fine through all the finest, most sorrowful words in the world, but play me a few chords and I’m complete mush.)
Then our organist struck up the Ode to Joy hymn, and I was done. Ran off to the bathroom to sob by myself.
But even though it was difficult, I’m thankful for Beethoven, and for music in general. It gets through my emotional defenses and reminds me about all the highest (and lowest) times of life. It reminds me what’s important, what it’s like to be close to God, and what it means to be human.