After driving our daughter to numerous practices and rehearsals before and after school, the night had finally arrived.
We filed our way through the front doors of the high school and were waved to some seats near the front of the auditorium by some thoughtful friends who'd saved some seats for us. The stage was decorated with Christmas trees and lights. And the room was full of chatter as the tech crew made their final adjustments to the sound and lighting.
As the principal welcomed everyone to the performance the chatter hushed to silence and everyone's attention was drawn to the stage. The stage filled and emptied several times with choirs, guitar clubs, an improv team, solos, orchestras and bands . Overall, it was a relatively to-be-expected high-school Christmas performance.
But halfway through the night, the spotlight came on and the music began for a new song. For a very brief moment there was no one on the stage. But without missing a second beat, kids began filing onto the stage, dancing around as two girls walked out hand in hand. The older girl was confidently belting out a tune into her headset as she walked, all the while she was smiling. She stopped in the centre of the stage and looked deep into the eyes of the other girl, who was obviously suffering from a bit of stage fright. While she sang, she continued reassuring the timid girl with her eyes that she was going to be just fine. Finally, the older girl let go of the shaky, girl's hand and gave her a final nod that said, "Now it's your turn. You can do it!"
The younger girl walked toward the front of the stage with the mic in her hand. The spotlight made her look even paler than she was. A look of shear nausea filled her face. She looked back at her friend, her eyes were pleading with her to rescue her from having to sing a solo. But the older girl just smiled confidently back at her as if to say "You can do this! This is your turn now!" A shaky little voice came out of the girl as the rest of her friends danced to the beat of her song and surrounded her like a hug on stage.
What I didn't realize until after the show was that the reluctant singer was supposed to be on stage by herself. She was scheduled to do a solo but she was so nervous she had run off the stage and was crying behind the curtains. The older student took her by the hand and led her out and started the song for her, while she regained her composure. Most people would not have even realized it wasn't supposed to be that way. The rest of the vocal class had made up their dance so they could surround her so she wouldn't feel alone on the stage.
These are the lessons I want my kids to learn at school and in life. More than scoring an A+ on a test; more than getting on the honor roll, or even earning a scholarship to university...I want my kids to learn to love other people. To look out for the interest of others over themselves.
In the book of Peter we are told "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8 NIV). Like the timid high school soloist, we've all had moments of weakness when we doubted ourselves and felt hopelessly in over our heads. But, I'm thankful for people who don't abandon me in my weakness but who are there to love, encourage and support.
It's easy to stand back and watch from the back row as someone stumbles their way through this performance called "life". But it takes selfless love and courage to step into someone's misery and walk them through it. Like a soft blanket, love covers the flaws of others. It comforts and strengthens. Love never fails.
Written by: Esther Allison
No comments:
Post a Comment