So Brave
Standing in front of her peers, the young lady listened to the beginning notes of the song she would be performing as a solo. She boldly belted out her opening line and froze. Her face reddened and she stammered to her director that she started at the wrong spot. The teacher, not skipping a beat, calmly nodded, finished the phrase he was playing on the piano, and deftly moved back to the beginning introduction. The young lady started again, this time on the proper verse.
However, her confidence had been shaken. She continued to slip back and forth between verses, uncomfortably bending down to look more closely at the lyrics on her music stand. All the while, even amidst mistakes, her voice ringing out with beautiful tone and perfect pitch. She smiled broadly during the final chorus, spread her arms out wide as if to say, “ta-da!” and bowed deeply to great applause.
She was so brave.
It brought tears to my eyes.
Later in the week, I saw the second performance of the same choir. The young lady who previously struggled performed her song without a hint of her prior nervousness. At the end of her song, she again beamed from ear to ear and projected such joy for a job well done.
Again, so brave. I believe we forget what bravery it takes for our children to stand up and try things that are difficult. We encourage them, of course, but ultimately it is up to them and their spirit to grasp onto that insane courage and the utter joy that comes in the moments after.
Halfway through the second performance, I witnessed another moment of bravery, this one involving a young man who has always struggled with shyness. This young man, who insisted he never wanted a solo, stepped up to my surprise to lead a quartet in a charming rendition of “I am a Fine Musician.” Biting the inside of my cheek to keep from crying, I couldn’t help but think of his preschool and kindergarten teachers and how I would love them to see this moment.
He was beaming from ear to ear as he finished. I knew he was feeling the unbelievable rush of adrenaline that comes after taking such a risk. For the rest of the program, he stood a little taller, sang a little louder and smiled. Such a smile.
When the program was finished, the young man came to find me, and I was honored with a very rare hug in front of his peers. The young man, my oldest son, whispered, “I wanted to surprise you.”
He continues to surprise me every day.
Praise God for the joyous sounds of Christmas! Thanks be to God for the birth of our Savior and King, Jesus.
