Nesting happens at home and in our community experiences. Friends and I go to live performances in theaters and concert halls every so often. In Idaho, a recent Garth Brooks two-night concert-going experience brought over 80,000 people to one venue – the largest ticket sales ever for one concert in our state. I missed the concerts but witnessed the community-wide excitement.
Concert going includes community concerts that are free to the public, at libraries and city halls from Plymouth, Minnesota to Ephrata, Washington as well as places all over the country. Botanical gardens, arboretums and zoos provide ticket-based concert going opportunities too.
Kids concerts, professional philharmonic and orchestral concerts provide music across a variety of categories and centuries. Whether youth, community, or professional performers, my experiences have always fill me with joy. I remember one classical pianist performance in which at the end of the musician’s piece, we – as one body – stood and began clapping. Our collective joy brought her back to the stage for eight or so acceptance bows; the last two of which I think she had returned to the music hall and was perhaps hearing us. It was a breath-taking, exhilarating and memorable experience. A decade later, her performance still resonates uplifting joy in my life.
Convention center concert going: I remember a Taiko Drumming event that was a visual and auditory treat that left my chest vibrating from the percussion for forty-eight hours afterwards. Another memorable experience that brings me back in time to the actual experience when I pause to reflect. Happy memories certainly help me to feather my nest.
Whatever the venue, concert going is an experience that can create a sense of time and place that leads us to a nesting experience. For others, concert going is not a nesting experience – too many people, too much sound, too much stimulation; and a cd is a better option for nesting.
What musical experiences do you prefer? Are you bringing them into your life on a regular basis?
Nesting is about the objects and experiences that create a sense of home. Without home, it is difficult to maintain health, find joy, or to be productive during our workdays. Enjoy the Nesting series of blogs on your search for a deep sense of home. –Jana
Jana Kemp
