Hensie was sad.
So very sad.
She was 50 and had lost her husband.
She was alone. And cried herself to sleep every night.
Her family worried about her.
Her children.
Her brother.
She was sinking more and more into depression.
And then, one evening, the doorbell rang.
It was her brother, carrying what seemed to be a violin case.
He put down the case, turned to his sister, and hugged her close.
She couldn’t hold back her tears.
“Alone. So alone.”
He kissed away her tears.
And then stepped back,
Opened up the string instrument case,
And pulled out a viola.
“Hensie, learn how to play this viola
And you will never again be alone .
It took several months.
Her brother always visiting.
Taking out the viola,
Holding it under her chin.
And gave her the name of a viola teacher.
And the months of her brother’s gentle prodding paid off.
She phoned the viola teacher
And began studying the viola.
Her brother was dead on
Two years later, she began playing chamber music with other string players.
And from then on she was never alone.
For many many years she played chamber music.
And when she could no longer play
She hosted the groups to come play at her place.
And when she was 92 and went into a seniors residence.
Her chamber music groups came to her residence.
And rehearsed in her presence.
Her life was filled with deep pleasure to the day she died.
Her brother was right.
with the viola she was never alone.
