Lost and Found
Chapter 6
SKYLAR LEWIS MARSHAL
[Look for the good in everything
Look for the people who will set your soul free
It always seems impossible until it's done
Look for the good in everyone]
The music was great.
I twitched a smile before laying my back on the cold ground and straightened my legs with arms behind my head as I listened.
I gazed up the sky full of stars like what others did while on their picnic blankets as music caressed our hearts.
I was feeling magical.
I rarely felt this feeling.
If I remembered, I could only feel it when I'm alone in my room with my guitar, in the living room with the piano or in the rooftop with my violin, a duet with my father and a sing along with my close relatives where there is peace, beauty and harmony that reaches down deep into the soul and pulls up every good feeling I could possibly have.
And yes— that feeling is rare because majority of my days were spent with my peers, obsessed with music that's all noise, beat and rhythm— succumbed to lustful desires of the flesh.
In addition of flickering lights of a disco ball, a singing that's more of a shouting, and surrounded by lost souls with their state of the art cellphones, recording performances and post it on social media before the show even ended.
Where they are more interested in getting the perfect shot than in appreciating the 'real' performance up front.
But here… oh Verona.
Looking around, it wasn't even a big crowd, and nobody's rushing. I could feel the joy in the crowd so different than the crowd that I'd always been with.
No sea of those iPads and bright lights flickering for snapshots and recordings.
Everybody here was just sitting, swaying, enjoying the music where I got shivers at the back of my neck when others joined the singing but not overlapping the lead singer.
It was wonderful.
And to the band, I know they're not professionals, but the love and passion was there— not just in the songs but also in the eyes of those excellent artists.
A wonderful performance from them, beautiful in every way— almost beyond words.
I sat back up as their second song ended and everyone made an applause.
Then a grandpa, maybe in his seventy's, made his way to the band who earned applauses from everyone.
He brought with him his ukulele and his kind of cute with it.
He played it as he sung, accompanied by the band who expertly adjusted to harmonize and it was amazing.
Every nuance and every inflection of grandpa's voice marked experience and it was lovely.
Then another applause as the song ended.
By then, Todd leaned closer to me.
"Maybe you want to give us a performance?" He cheekily uttered.
I chuckled. "Is it even allowed?
He nodded. "Everyone is free to do so."
I just smiled then he raises up his hand towards the band.
"The new girl in town wants to give it a shot." He shouted.
My brows met and my eyes narrowed into a slit line.
Todd just smiled and everyone's attention shifted to us.
I scoffed as my name was called by Lisa.
'Really now'
Hence, my feet treaded towards the center and everyone clapped.
I picked up an acoustic guitar on the side and pull over the sling on my neck.
Lisa winked at me for encouragement. I just smiled and faced the crowd.
I ran my gaze around, they're just a few of them and seemed to grouped per family.
James and Sarah were in a picnic blanket with James' arm wrapped around Sarah's waist while Sarah's head leaned on her husbands chest.
They gave me an encouraging smile too.
And there was Nikki, sitting on a long chair, a shawl was wrapped around her shoulder as she was leaning on Rosie's in her side.
'Rosie, the neighbor'
To sum up, everyone's gaze was on me in anticipation.
I inhaled deeply, taking in the new scenery, the chilly air, and my renewed soul then I begun to pluck and strum the guitar.
[The question is why, why are we here?
To say our hello's and goodbye's and then disappear?
This beautiful life, what is it for?
To learn how to master peace or master war?]
I know, I have a beautiful singing voice— not to brag.
And I'm a person inclined in music maybe it runs in the blood, in the family.
And I sung this song, pouring out my heart to it.
'Cause in the first place, this is what I'd been feeling and the reason of my escape from the city.
[There's only one answer that matters
Even if your heart has been shattered
Whatever you want, whatever you are after
Love is still the answer
Love is still the answer]
[Love, love, love, love
Love, love, love]
I know, I was immersed in the song, in my singing. And it empowered me seeing a few in the crowd wiping their tears and those eyes of a few that tells me I've touched a part of their soul.
It was an overwhelming feeling.
[We all make mistakes, no, we're not perfect yet
Maybe God made us all from an accident
And the question that sits on everyone's lips
Is why should we pick ourselves up and start over again]
By then, my gaze landed on Sarah and she has the most angelic smile intended for me.
A smile that displays familial affection and her eyes—
... her eyes reassures me that I've found myself, that she's the one who most understands the meaning of the song as it reflected on me.
[There's only one answer that matters
Even if your heart has been shattered
Whatever you want, whatever you are after
Love is still the answer
Love is still the answer]
[Love, love, love, love
Love, love, love]
[The question I'll ask at the end of my days
Is what did I give and what will I take]
[There's only one answer that matters
Even if your heart and your dreams have been shattered
Whatever you want, whatever you are after
Love is still the answer
Love is still the answer]