I was calling new subscribers earlier this week to welcome them and thank them for signing up.   We had our season opening about 10 days ago, and I’ve been working my way through the list.

It’s the easiest task in the world to put off.  There are a million other things demanding my attention:  meetings to prepare for, staff members in my doorway, reports to write, emails in my inbox. 

I had some doubts about the wisdom of making calls on this day anyway.  It was November 2 – Election Day.  Who was going to be home answering the phone? 

Mostly I got answering machines and left a brief message, saying whom I was and inviting them to call me if they had any questions or comments.

I was three-quarters of the way through leaving one of these messages when someone picked up the phone.  It was a woman, and I think she heard that I was calling from the Symphony.

She didn’t recognize my name – but when she realized I was the guy in the suit who thanked the sponsors at the beginning of the concert, she opened up like a blossoming flower.

“That was our first TSO concert,” she told me.  “We moved down here several years ago from the north part of the state.  We used to attend the Seattle Symphony regularly.  A couple of our friends are TSO subscribers, and they invited us to try your Orchestra.

“I want you to tell Maestro Felder and all the musicians how deeply appreciative we are.  That was one of the most special nights of our lives.

“Both my husband and I are retired now, after more than 30 years in law enforcement.  As you can imagine, this was not an easy career for either of us.  Now that we’re retired, we need good things like this in our lives – this came at just the right time – “

At this point her voice started to break a little.  “My eyes are tearing up a little, as you can probably tell from my voice,” she laughed.  “We just never imagined it would be like this.  We never thought anything like this was available here.

“The music was so powerful.  And we loved the way Mr. Felder talked to the audience and made us feel welcome.  The young woman playing the guitar was magnificent.  It was all so special.  I have no words for it.

“You be sure to tell all of them – Mr. Felder, and all the musicians – thank you from us.  We are so glad to have found this, to be a part of this.  I can’t tell you how much it means.  Please thank them.”

Before she rang off she promised they would be talking about what they could do for the TSO financially.  (I hadn’t even asked yet!)  “It won’t be a large gift,” she cautioned; “that just isn’t possible for us now.”

I beg to differ. She already gave us the biggest gift of all:  the gift of her story of how the Symphony has added meaning to her life.  She reminded me, once again, that we’re not in the music business.

We’re in the joy business.