A Goal and a Gift

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”*

Never one to sit and feel sorry for herself, when our daughter Shanda was faced with the prospect of reaching the end of feasible options for the treatment of her Leptomeningeal Disease, she decided to set up some short-range goals. She wanted to 1) stick her feet in the sand at the seashore 2) find the best key lime pie in the Florida Keys and 3) play in one final concert with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra before retiring from the DSO after 21 years in the viola section.

 After Thanksgiving, Shanda’s husband Chris took the family to Key Largo, where they stayed in a condo with both a pool and easy access to the beach. Their two youngest boys enjoyed swimming in the pool and in the ocean, while Shanda and Chris relaxed on the beach. When it got too hot, he would help her into the water.

The days were nice and leisurely; and their evenings were spent sampling the local food and taste testing key lime pies. Shrimp was high on their list of favorites for dinner, at least for three out of the four family members present! And again, three of them agreed on one particular pie that was the best, with the fourth not caring for key lime pie at all but only the whipped cream on the top! The first two goals were reached! Hurray!

 December 17^th was chosen as the date of her final concert with the DSO. It was arranged that she attend the rehearsal on the evening of the 15^th and then play in the 8:00 PM Christmas Pops concert on the 17^th, which also happened to be the “birthday” of her Grandma Char Lowery who would have been 105!

In a letter to her colleagues, she shared that playing with the orchestra had been her dream job. She had been able to tour Europe, China, Japan, New York, and Florida and had played under three “amazing” maestros. Chris even surprised her by proposing to her onstage during a youth concert in 2006.

Shanda said that she enjoyed every minute of playing in the DSO and loved being in the viola section. She told them that she would be officially retired starting January 1, 2023, in order to spend more time with her husband, children and extended family members.

  She also mentioned that three out of their four kids had played onstage at Orchestra Hall in various groups and that Kendra, their oldest, had just been hired to be in the Civic Youth Ensemble Organization, actively recruiting the next generation of youth to be musicians. Chris and Shanda’s youngest son is currently taking lessons using her original violin. Maybe he’ll be next?

When the word got around that Shanda would be playing on the 17^th, many family members and friends, including some from out of state, bought tickets. Because it would be difficult for her to visit before and after the concert, they invited people to come to their house on the 16^th for dinner.

My friend, Robin Read, and I had made forty-two pink ribbons with the words “Shanda” printed on one end and “love” on the other end for everyone to wear at the dinner and concert too.  Eighteen people came to the dinner to show support and spend some time visiting with her.

Al’s youngest sister, Ann, drove Al and me downtown to Orchestra Hall on Saturday night.  The pink ribbons were soon gone, with many more folks coming than anticipated. It was  a great show of support for Shanda.

When the director announced Shanda’s retirement just before the end of the concert, she  waved to the audience, especially to the balcony where most of us were sitting together, and received a wonderful applause. Then the orchestra went on to accompany the featured soprano soloist and choir in a powerful and moving performance of “O Holy Night!” Such beautiful music!

 Her third goal was accomplished…and we were given an unforgettable gift. Bravo, Shanda! You have inspired us all!

* 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV