I think you’ll really like today’s anthem. It’s perfect for the gentler side of Pentecost, the spirit of love coming down from heaven. I think that Sir William Harris was kind and quiet. There is actually some anecdotal evidence to that assumption. After he was appointed organist of St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, Bruce Nightingale, a senior chorister there described him “as having a fat, usually jolly face with a few wisps of hair across an otherwise bald head.” Nightingale described most of Harris’ choral rehearsals as “benign,” but when things weren’t going so smoothly, he would occasionally scold the choirboys with just a mere stage whisper.

His students affectionately called him “Doc H,” another indication of his gentle spirit. Perhaps you can hear how calm his music is. It has a memorable, flowing melody, and it seems to come from the heart. It’s interesting to think about the people who create art. Works of art are cherished gifts, but they also are clues, giving us a glimpse into the persona of those who leave them behind. Even though you may not be an artist yourself, you will leave behind some record of who you are. I often think about my own “paper trail.” With modern technology, just about every day of your life can be recorded, left as an indelible mark of history – texts, video, photos, email. As someone who is constantly in front of others, I wonder about my own historical record. What do people know about me, when they hear my organ playing, perform and hear my compositions, read my writings, or hear my choirs sing? Yikes!

To some extent, what you leave behind in this world will touch the world and give others a snapshot of who you are. What you leave behind is one thing, but how you leave it behind is another. Is it detritus or is it a gift of your very best? Even though it might be tainted with your personality faults, it’s important to think about what you will leave behind in this world.

Like love coming down in the form of the spirit, let what you leave behind be a legacy of your truth. That’s what this anthem is all about, the truth from above, that love which wants to be expressed in your life. Let others know that you cared, and that you were simply doing your best. That’s what art does – it leaves behind one’s best, one’s truth, and one’s intention to give back. If what you leave behind is intended to make life better, history will remember you fondly. I like what William Harris left for us. I’m sure he wasn’t perfect, but he was not afraid to express his gifts. I like that he left not only his beautiful anthems, but that he left the world with an impression that he was gentle and jolly. How do you want to be remembered, and what kind of trail are you leaving behind? Soli deo Gloria!