A luminous evening

Last week I went to Manchester Cathedral to see a beautiful light show called Luminescence. As the choir began to sing, coloured lights slowly filled the cathedral and created a very special atmosphere.

The show tells the story of Manchester through narration, music, and light projections. The combination of music, voices, and lights made the whole space feel alive.

As I was sitting there, I realised how much I love live performances. I think one of the reasons is being close to people who are deeply passionate about what they do.

The choir at Luminescence was so full of life. Their faces seemed to shine with the kind of energy that comes when someone truly loves what they are doing. And the conductor was wonderful to watch. She moved with so much confidence and ease, dancing while conducting the choir. Watching them simply put me in a good mood.

There were moments during the performance when I felt a deep sense of joy and gratitude for being there, experiencing something so beautiful.

At the same time, my thoughts briefly went to people who are going through difficult moments in their lives right now, and I wondered whether it was right for me to enjoy myself so much while others are struggling.

Then another thought came.

I realised that I do not have to deny one experience in order to honour the other. I do not have to bury my head in the sand and ignore the suffering that exists in the world. And I also do not have to feel guilty for the beautiful moments that life offers me.

I know that I have a big capacity for feeling, and I do not want to close my heart in order to protect it. What I need instead is to create more beautiful moments in my life, more luminous moments when I allow myself to be touched by beauty, rhythm, and creativity.

Music does this for me. And when the music is alive, when it is shared in real time with other people, the experience becomes even more powerful.

Perhaps this is something we all need more of: moments where we are exposed to beauty and creativity, where people bring their passion into the world and share it with others. It feels as if those who perform sprinkle a little of their energy onto the audience.

As I walked back afterwards with my dear friend, I noticed I felt lighter, more inspired, and more alive. My steps had more energy in them.

If you are in Manchester while Luminescence is still running, I highly recommend seeing it. Excuse my filming skills, I promise the show looks much better in real life.