Last night The Girl performed in her first talent show as school. She sang a solo and a duet with one of my favorite young ladies at her school. Although our lack of camera’s at the event would suggest otherwise, we are very proud. She did a great job and what she may lack in actual talent, she quite made up for in stage presence and just enough sass.
I’m not grateful for last night’s show only. In my teaching days I directed quite a few “variety shows” (my principal wouldn’t let us use the word talent) and though The Husband would be every year not to come due to possible ear drum rupture, I loved every minute of it.
These kids, many of them for the first time, got two minutes to shine in front of people and that is a beautiful thing. For The Girl, it is something she relishes and certainly she is not lacking for attention at school, but at my old place, some of those kids only got attention because they were in trouble. But on the night of the talent show, they were the stars. For just one night, all eyes were on them for something great. They stood up there, all bravado and spunk, and were applauded for being themselves. Their parents were proud. I usually wept and their classmates cheered them on.
That made all the hours spent amidst questionable choreography and ear splitting “singing” worth it.
Today I’m grateful for Talent Shows and all the joy they bring.
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