Cynthia Bythell Music

I came with the intention of loving everyone. It was easy. The holding room at the Phoenix Convention Center was wall to wall with brave people living their lives fully. Some of the younger people looked a bit like they were headed for the guillotine, and my heart really went out to them. It made…

My mom gave me the gift of music. Some of my most cherished early memories include sitting side by side on the organ bench as she played and we sang together. She taught me beginning piano and basic singing technique, put a $50 piano in my bedroom, and set me loose! I was inspired by…

Photos of Mom & Dad are proudly displayed on my mantel in honor of their special days.  I like to believe they’re watching over me, and trying to help from the other side.  Hopefully they feel as proud of me as I felt when “my” kids played their pieces at the Annual Spring Recital last month.   My…

With leftover turkey soup in the freezer, and the new year feeling about a quick minute away, I’m deep in the holiday to-do list. Every year I try to simplify, but it still overwhelms. Apparently I don’t now how to decorate just a little, or invite less company, or keep the shopping to a minimum….

When I was in my twenties, a friend informed me that I was the most driven person she had ever met.  Certainly knocking on doors until one opened, was a specialty of mine. It worked.  But many times when better opportunities appeared seemingly out of nowhere, I wasn’t able to make use of them.  I was too busy following…

Was it just good luck? There she was “across a crowded room” as the romantic story always goes. She was absolutely aglow with the fun she was having with her friends. Our eyes met, and we smiled simultaneously. Minutes later I turned, and she was sitting next to me. A year later, we were married…