Lightside

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Is life passing at an increasingly rapid pace? Everywhere one looks things are zooming along, other than the arrival of warm weather that is. Nature is the last to be prodded into something it prefers not to do.

My quandary regarding today's pace it is based in part on the events of recent days. First is the Olympic flame being handed over to China and forwarded to Beijing. They even carried that flickering example of mankind's spirit through Tibet. Irony if ever there was.

Closer to home, the unusual events of the last weekend in March were numerous.

First came a fire in a historic, large house on Kingston Road. Then the world's first Earth Hour took place. Many anticipated a city in total darkness. They forgot streetlights, traffic lights, office towers and parking lots would not participate.

Toronto was almost as bright as on any other winter night. There were patches of dark where folks did their part to support for the idea. I have recommended each receive the Al Gore medal for effort.

That same evening, the Acoustic Harvest music concert, in the church at Manderly and Kingston Roads, took place. The concert is a monthly event and fills the auditorium.

Lillian, the sparkplug behind the concerts, has run them for 11 years and is a keen environmentalist. So it was natural Saturday night's festivities observe Earth Hour and feature Scarborough's Dala, a two-girl dynamo of music.

Candles, although inadequate, illuminated the space where a sellout crowd had gathered to hear Sheila and Amanda perform. The girls began public concerts a few years ago, but their musical skills reflect a decade of preparation.

The former Scarborough school girls include tunes from past masters of song such as The Beatles, Led Zepplin, Cat Stevens, Simon and Garfunkel, even Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. But the gals put their own stamp on it, making each song their own.

Of course their youth was masked by the gloom, shadows and black space created by candlelight. Being energetic, brimming with youthful zest they overcame that with humour, highly honed harmony and charm.

Only when the lights finally came on was it possible to see just how young and charming they are. They make no bones about Scarborough being home and enjoying the pleasure of growing up here.

Dala's dedication to music, their craft has taken them a long way already. They have made records, performed live coast to coast, been heralded for the talents they are. I knew that. So did their acoustic audience.

Of course more took place that weekend. The Leafs finally foundered and sank into the low end of the hockey records for this season. The chant "wait until next year" seems hollow and in bad taste to loyal fans, sick with unanswered faith and hope.

There is no joy in growing long in the tooth waiting for this city's hockey team to repeat the victory of so long ago. If they do not play better, make a true run for the cup next season I will start watching basketball, a game I loathe.

Dejected by the Leaf record and placing for this cup race, I wandered my neighbourhood with my dog. We walked in the park near our home and pondered - he on bones and me on anything but sports.

Then, in my darkest moment, the trill, unmistakable song of a robin was heard. The bird was hunting worms, ignoring residue snow. Spring is here at last.