Sheer Beauty

This past semester, I was introduced to a song entitled "Gathering Storm" by Godspeed You! Black Emperor.  It's a long song, but the opening 6:10 is my favourite and has an incredible epic journey-type quality to it.  Yesterday evening, I put it on shortly after takeoff from the Toronto airport and it was the perfect song for the moment.  Initially, a little unsure, with crescendos and decrescendos throughout the piece - it reminded me so much of my nervousness for this trip: concern about culture shock and being so far from home as well as the familiar - but then it gathers both volume and gusto - which mimicked by resolution that I can handle this, it will be definitely be a challenge but it is doable and will be the opportunity of a lifetime.  It was as if nature knew I was playing that song, as during the first large crescendo, the sun pierced through the clouds, causing little rays of light to dance off of the thick fog-like clouds and glint off the wing of my plane.  During a subsequent crescendo, the thick clouds broke and we entered a valley-like expanse of clouds.  It was absolutely stunning.  It felt as if we were flying through a mountain range instead of snow-white cumulous clouds.  Such a beautiful way to begin my journey to India!

In case you're interested: "Gathering Storm" by Godspeed You! Black Emperor