The Maine Event

-written by Hearth Member, Matthew Reese

Being Easter Sunday, I didn’t know what kind of turnout to expect for Waltzdays last night. I arrived at the Democracy Center wondering if it would be a quieter evening. But the Hearth never fails to impress me. It was the best one yet.

The turnout was fantastic, the music stunning, and my face hurt from smiling by the end of it. We were enthused to welcome Jamie Oshima from Maine as he joined our favorite house band – The Whom – on stage. I hear two different cars came down from Maine for Waltzdays, and it was wonderful welcoming these friends, both new and old, to Miranda’s Hearth.

In addition to the treat of having wonderful people visit the Hearth from far away, I loved observing how this only added to the joy of our regular attendees, rather than usurping it. Community requires consistency, formed by a group of individuals gathering regularly for the sake of enriching their own lives and the lives of others. There are a number of people who regularly attend and invest in the Hearth, and they compose Hearth. However, the consistency of community also empowers that community to offer its embrace to guests. The delight of these visitors only adds to the joy we have in those who claim this community as their community. The Mainers left to our pleas that they come back soon. But the best thing of all is that there is a space—a Hearth—for them to come back to.

Last night was a beautiful gathering of people sharing the treasures of music and dance. It exemplified the harmony between those dear friends I see every month, every week, and those I may only see once in a while. It was marvelous viewing both our regulars and our guests celebrating friendship, life, love, and community together through the energetically human expression of dance.

Now we just have to figure out how to get those Mainers down here more often.