Day 11 - the international language of music and gesture.

Frere Jacques..

You know the tune...

Frere Jacques, Frere Jacques,
Dormez vous? Dormez vous? Etc.

Imagine my surprise then, upon travelling through the desert while on a camel - hearing it raucously sung (in french, with dancing) to a group of tourists in the middle of the sand dunes by a group of traditionally dressed young Indian girls.

Similarly surprised to hear it again last night at a restaurant in Jaisalmer - hearing it this time being played during dinner by a young teenager on a harmonium, accompanying his own brash, accented singing of the French lyrics.

Actually, he wasn't that good.

And on a losing wicket.

He was struggling to be heard against diners who were more interested in talking, waiters who kept shushing him and an Indian wedding party celebrating outside, making enough music and noise to waken the dead.

And then - as I was wishing he would get the hint from everyone around him and stop - I caught myself and thought "hold on a minute, when I was his age, that was me - not a very good musician, but good enough, willing to get out there, have a go and if it made some money, so much the better."

And I was transported back to my own teenage years and my audition at the Academy, when the head of singing, Marjorie Thomas, a grande-dame, sat and, whilst the rest of the panel had their heads buried in making notes, smiled at me, encouraging me all the way through my audition to sing my heart out. And I did.

(and was successful and got me to where I am now as a result, I may add).

So, chastened, I looked at the boy sat silently with his harmonium and smiled an encouraging smile and with a broad grin back at me, he started up again, playing and singing louder and stronger than before.

And so the baton was passed from a moment 27 years ago in London to this moment now in a restaurant in western India, with the same effect.

And it struck me like a bolt out of the blue - such small gestures, such small seeds, so easily given. And one never knows what effect those small gestures will have, how long they will last or how much they will grow.

A thought for the day.

Hope all is going well with you.

Xx