"I knew you would present a good song, as you always do," Rauru said, giving Daniel a friendly slap on the back, "but I never anticipated your expedience. You truly are an asset to this congregation." The church's orchestra was tuning, an orchestra which had practically hired itself after Daniel had acquired a moderate level of fame. Near the back of the church, laymen were filing in cheerily, their spirits and expectations high. Among them, Daniel spotted Link, accompanied by the two friends he had invited, Zelda and Ghirahim. He was anxious to meet Zelda, who seemed to be of special interest to Link, but he had his doubts about Ghirahim. He didn't suspect him of being an unpleasant person; rather, he felt he would be uncomfortable around a person of such infallible wit. Wit paired with a sense of self-derogation, disguised as arrogance, was a mix Daniel was sure would throw him off.
After the church was, for the most part, filled, Rauru turned to Daniel and gave him a thumbs up. "Now?" Daniel asked, surprised that Rauru didn't want to give some sort of greeting first.
Rauru nodded. "Let's just let the music speak this time, shall we?"
"Okay." He stepped up to the podium. He lifted his baton, then watched as the orchestra followed suit with their instruments and the choir did the same with their bodies, creating the optimal wind tunnel for each of their voices. The congregation clapped, but Daniel took no bow, knowing that the glory wasn't his. It was God's, and in this setting, it was always God's. The applause died down. The orchestra began to play.
Link, smiling faintly, waited for his friends to hear just how extraordinary his brother's music was. Sure, they knew that Daniel wrote music, as Link had mentioned his songs time and time again, but now they would find out that Daniel was not just some amateur leader of a garage band; he was accomplished, and Link, though somewhat jealous, was proud of his brother's talents.
"Wow," Zelda exclaimed in a breathy voice. "Your brother wrote this?"
"I know. It's moving. It always is. It puts what I do on the piano to shame. I've tried writing for orchestra, but I could never produce anything like this."
"And the lyrics, too. I, personally, am not a Christian, but I am a poet, and the words are powerful, even for a non-Christian. Or maybe they're just accentuated by the music. Or perhaps I'm especially impressed because he's your brother. I don't know. Anyway, give him my congratulations."
"You can give him your congratulations yourself, you know."
Ghirahim grinned. "It's your chance to meet someone famous! Take it while you can!"
"It's not that kind of famous," Link said cryptically.
"What other kind of famous is there?"
"You're thinking of the 'everybody knows about your personal life, paparazzi's always in your face' kind of famous. This is different. People revere him, not stalk him."
"And how, might I ask, do you know what kind of famous I'm thinking about?"
"I don't need you to tell me what you're thinking if I know how you're thinking."
He shrugged. "True. I can't really argue with that."
Zelda put on an expression of mock surprise. "Ghirahim can't argue with something? That's a first!"
"Bask in the moment while you can, because it might be a last as well." He flashed her a smile.
Somebody behind them tapped Ghirahim on the shoulder. "Could you be a little quieter?" she asked, her voice raspy from age. "I'm trying to listen here."
"Sure, no problem! Quiet's what I do best, you know!" he winked, then turned and complied with her request.
Zelda just sighed and shook her head.
"We all have our various ways of coping with problems," Rauru said, well into his sermon. Link and Zelda were listening intently, Daniel seated beside them and doing the same. Ghirahim was half asleep.
"But few of us have solutions that strike at the root of the predicament," he continued, glancing at each section of the congregation in turn. "It is common to push our worries 'under the rug,' as is one of the most frequently used phrases in today's society, a setting in which if we did not push things under the rug from time to time, we would die from the stress, at least according to those who live in it. What we need today is not deliberate ignorance, but hope. We need not drop our burdens behind us, promising to pick them up at a later date; rather, we need an extra something to help us bear our burdens. We need God. In ancient days, people used to send such prayers to God every day, prayers pleading for help in a solemn hour. In those times, even if they did not see the work of God's hand directly, they saw how refreshed they felt simply by casting their worries up in such a manner. Pushing something down simply postpones the pain; casting something up provides assurance that the pain will be overcome. Whether, in this cynical age, you believe God is at work in your life does not matter. Simply pray, pray out your troubles, and see the results. It is important to note that to 'pray out' your troubles is not to forget your troubles. Prayer is there to help you through the action, not to replace it. Prayer is there to help you act, not impede your own initiative. Prayer is there to give you the strength needed to change what has gone wrong. Prayer is not just release, but empowerment. And above all, keep this in mind: reassurance is one thing; deliberate ignorance is another. The key to serenity is not remaining calm when you believe all is right, for such a thing is easy, but rather finding peace of mind when you believe all is awry, especially through prayer and through trust in God. Knowledge of the truth should not be sacrificed for the sake of temporary happiness. Permanent happiness comes from changing that truth for the better, not dismissing it."
Daniel was smiling broadly; yet at the same time, he had tears streaming down his face. Link couldn't figure out why.