If you look closely at these two handsome members of the Carthage Choir, Matt Staller and Andrew Lenox, you might notice a red-and-black ribbon adorning their respective lapels. The entire choir wore these ribbons to honor the memory of those students who were killed in a recent mass shooting on the campus of Northern Illinois University in Dekalb. As Jamie Wilson and I were driving there yesterday afternoon, I raised with him the possibility of the choir dedicating one of its pieces to the victims – and suggested maybe my arrangement of Amazing Grace. It was Jamie who actually came right back with an even better suggestion- the piece sung right before AG on the program called “In Remembrance” by Jeffrey Ames. It’s a gorgeous thing which he wrote in memory of one of his own choir students and her father who were killed in a car accident. The sadness of that event and his fervent hope of paying tribute to them resulted in this truly sublime composition. I brought the suggestion to Mr. Noble, who loved the idea – and indeed that is what came to pass. At that point in the concert, right after the intermission, Mr. Noble actually walked into the audience (rather than speaking from the high podium) with a few simple and heartfelt words about how he and the choir wanted to stand in solidarity with all whose lives had been touched by the tragedy. He then asked for a few moments of silence – and it was the quietest, most profound sort of silence I think I’ve ever heard – followed by a truly sublime performance of this incredible piece of music. And when it concluded, more silence. . . which seemed to last forever . . . but in the best sense of the word. It was one of those things that just felt so right to do. And part of what made it right was that it was a relatively simple gesture but completely from the heart – done lovingly and without fanfare. And I trust that the members of the choir – and especially those who are growing weary of the bus rides and paper plates and unfamiliar beds – were given a gentle reminder that there are people their own age not far from them who have been touched by something truly awful and frightening. It’s amazing how thinking about that for even a moment can put things into proper perspective. I think of one of the Nordic tours I was on – my junior year, I believe – which coincided with the Iranian hostage crisis. Mr. Noble decided that we would dedicate our performance of the spiritual “Sometimes I feel like a Motherless Child” to the hostages- and it was such a striking reminder for all of us who were living the relatively pampered lives of college students that there were others in the world living a very different life from ours. When we are prone to get lost in our own blessings and burdens and interests and agendas, may there always be something or someone to remind us of the bigger picture, of the wider view.