Maturity and Similarly Unlikely Events

I spent some quality time caroling tonight at an old folks' home. I've done similar gigs since high school, and it embarasses me more than a little to say that I typically have the following mindset concerning these performances: get in there, sing (and play guitar in one case), and get out.

Tonight went fairly routinely as gigs in these venues go - in particular, the desire of our elderly audience to schmooze and chat with us a bit afterwards. I'd never been rude to them, but in the past I had always pulled the nod-and-smile and try to retreat as quickly as it as politic to do so. Unbelievably, I didn't feel that urge tonight and actually felt something approximating enthusiasm about conversing with them. I sat and chatted with two elderly women with whom I had almost nothing in common and no real ability to relate to meaningfully, and not once felt the instinct to glance at a watch or the doorway, plotting my escape.

I won't claim that I'm learning maturity or anything utterly unbelievable like that - but I might be starting down that road, which offers relief and fear at the same time. =o)

pb78