feel the love

it's the moments i don't expect that bring me the most meaning. earlier today i went to an assembly of middle school boys giving thanks. they read poems they'd written, read poems famous poets had written, read stories they'd written and played instruments. in the audience were their classmates in 4th through 6th grades, faculty, staff and parents.

all was going along smoothly...each boy performing how he'd planned. and then a 4th grade boy with a horn, along with a teacher on a piano, came to the stage. they both sat poised to play. the piano began and the horn followed. "may i start again?" the boy said. my heart sank a little. they started again. and stopped. the third time no sound came from the horn and tears rolled down his face. mine too. the empathy i felt for him as a mom and as a person who doesn't like to perform was enormous.

he walked off the stage. there were audible snickers from a couple of boys at which point an administrator spoke. she started by giving thanks for having heard this young man play the piece perfectly 6 times during rehearsal. she went on to say to the audience that we all know how hard it is to perform in front of your classmates and many of us have had that experience of butterflies. it was an incredible moment. this moment made the assembly.

the performance went on. the boy's teacher went to check on him and after only 3 other people performed the young man was back on stage with his horn and pianist in place. he played the piece beautifully and then received a huge round of applause. he smiled and also learned about resilience.

wwcd: don't miss those moments to learn something or teach something