My son's show choir group took their third first place trophy for their division, ending their competitive season on Saturday with a huge amount of pride and success. Their competitions are over, now they'll just be performing some local shows and at school. What a whirl wind show choir ended up being! But I would say it was one of the most positive experiences my son had in his high school career. And to think, early in the season that he wanted to quit because he was having trouble mastering the dance steps! The judges kept writing in their comments that my son's solo should be longer, so it was expanded for the last competition.
On Friday morning, the t.v. reporter covering the show choir competition which was highlighted in the news, approached my son and told him that hearing him sing his solo gave her goose bumps. Talk about compliments! I don't know about my son but I sure felt 10 feet high!
I'm hoping that the pace of my life slows down a bit now and that our lives become less focused on one child and more "normal" if there can ever be a normal for us.
My youngest son started referring to himself as "Bronze Boy" and to his brother as "Golden Boy," no doubt in part to all the attention my oldest was receiving because of show choir. But on Friday night he received three personal bests at his track meet and his 4x4 relay team won first. He was a team MVP and given a track t-shirt. He texted me with this news and I told him that now we would have to elevate his name to "Silver Boy!" But seriously, I hope the end of show choir competition brings with it less comparison between my two boys and less tension as well between them, with me in the middle trying to keep the peace.
I did not go out on Friday night, realizing I just could not do so. I would have had a miserable time and I was far too tired and depleted to have enjoyed myself. I needed the rest to attend the show choir competition the next day, which turned out to be long but exciting. I feel asleep early in the evening and was so out of it when my sister called at 10 p.m., I looked at the caller id and could not even recognize her number, which she has had for years and I have memorized. I didn't take the call!
Today, my best girlfriend and I went to church and then lunch together afterward. The sermon was about how we need to praise God in our lives when times are hard, and not just offer praise when things are going our way. A special prayer was said for single parents and I cried during that - heck, I cried through a whole lot of the service. Despite having to leave my dishes in the sink (yet again), I was grateful to attend church and hear the wonderful and inspiring words of this pastor.
Now I am going to tackle the dishes that didn't run away while I was at the show choir competition or church!
Congratulations to your oldest son! His and your efforts enabled his spirit to connect with listeners. The trophy is just the icing on the cake.
ReplyDeletePerhaps your life can now slow down enough get ahead on your chores. Yes, back to normal! New normal. I know it's not all you want, but I hope God wraps His/Her arms around you and you can settle in with the people and activities that feed you well. Invitations are just that, not obligations. There will be more for you, I can feel it!
When I read that you joked your younger son could be "Silver Boy", I said to myself. "Platinum Boy"!!! This is coming from a younger sister who could never get that leg up on her popular older sister, until I found my own niche and excelled in this. Competition and comparing can be put to really great use on accomplishments. Your younger son knows you love him oodles, because he's being so real and honest with you. And you with him.
Flo - Loads of thanks for your kind remarks because joking aside when my younger son and I tease around, I am very worried about his feelings of being second best compared to his brother. My sister who is only 9 months younger than me recently told me how she was always compared to me at school too, by the teachers and I was the performer, theater kid, over-achieving and always on stage somewhere being applauded.
ReplyDeleteI did try the Platinum idea with my younger son but it back fired on me because he renamed his older brother that for a while!
After my oldest had to relinquish his crown as "King" of the school recently, I asked my youngest who had attended the show with his girlfriend, what she thought of my older son, who kind of stole the show at one point. He replied, and I love this, that his girlfriend knows how he feels about the issue and wisely avoids any praising comments about his older brother.
I love that my life will hopefully be slowing down now. There is much to be said about the joy to be found in plain old ordinary non-exciting, hum drum, ho hum, kind of boring days! Here's to a boring day in the future!