Liz Ekblad Playing Harp at Hospice

Liz Ekblad began playing the harp three years ago. That was about year after she became a Tai Chi student at Body Balance Academy.

“I’ve always thought the harp would be a really nice thing to play. When I went through cancer treatment, I found out the Cancer Support Center at the hospital has a harp group. So I joined. Lisa Stein, the instructor, starts beginners with a little harp. It has 22 strings and you can carry it.”

Liz had played piano as a child. When she asked Lisa about learning to play, Lisa told her the harp is just like a piano standing on end. 

“It really is,” says Liz. 

“Then as you start playing you want to have a bigger one for the deeper sounds.  There’s a 25-string harp and a 34-string size. I ended up buying 2 harps. I can play the same songs. But more strings mean more bass notes.”

Every Tuesday morning Liz sets up her harp in the hallway at the Compassionate Care Home at Hospice of the Foothills. She plays just outside of the rooms, moving her 30 pound harp from one spot in the hallway to another.  Sometimes people ask her to come in and play. But that is unusual.

“People are involved in caring for a friend or spouse. (I) make a peaceful, quiet, comfortable sound, playing songs that they wouldn’t know. I use my Tai Chi in preparing to play (focusing on) what’s going to happen, who’s going to be there, what can I do.”

Liz uses the Qigong for preparation. Her goal is to relax and let the music flow.

“I try not to think ‘What if this is the last sound they hear?’ I try not to think about it.”

Liz says, “Instead of focusing on death, I keep my focus on moving on. It feels like something that is very useful to do. And I want to do things that are useful. I love it.” But she admits that sometimes she does think, “…if I were lying in bed dying what would I want to hear?”

Some of her favorite songs to play are Amazing Grace, Shenandoah and Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child.

She loves the sound of the harp. And she also loves that when she plays at Hospice, it doesn’t feel like a performance to her.  She describes it as “Making beautiful music in a quiet space.”

Liz retired from social work, but never imagined she could do Hospice work.  After a couple of friends began to volunteer, Liz went to a training session. Now, in addition to playing the harp, she also volunteers for Dying Vigil.

“If family wants someone there, there’s a volunteer who comes and stays a bit. It’s way beyond anything I’d ever thought I want to do or could do. It’s very meaningful work.”

In fact, she says, “It gives meaning to my life at this point. If we have families, we’re all going to have to do it. It’s doing what I feel is important to do with my life. I got through raising the kids, did my work. And now I’m retired. I can do whatever I want to do with my time. This is what I want to do.”

Thanks to Liz Ekblad for telling her story to Shih Fu Catherine.    We've noticed that Body Balance students are resourceful, caring, connected people who cultivate chi wherever they go. We want to tell your story, too. Let us know if you have a story to tell. Look for these stories each week on our blog Streaming Chi.