Beautiful Stages

"I remember the first day like it was yesterday. I was so nervous, but pretending not to be. The audition breezed by, a lot easier than I thought it was going to be, and then it was time for the first rehearsal. This was the part I was really nervous about. Mom and Dad said goodbye, and I was left to discover what kind of people play in youth symphony orchestra. I've never had much luck with public school kids, you see. We're just so different and I was so scared I'd be sitting in the corner trying not to make eye contact with anyone. I didn't know what to expect when I walked into that room, but what greeted my eyes was very different. There were only two boys in there at the time. One was sitting at the piano playing an incredibly catchy and very difficult jazz piece, while his brother picked and played along on his bass. As all the other kids came in, all they did was laugh, tell music jokes, and be amazing.

Fast forward to now. Our concerts were this last weekend, and today is the first Saturday I haven't had practice in 10 weeks. And I miss it like crazy. I miss our hilarious director with his elephant jokes, I miss all of the kids, I miss hearing the cellos duel each other during break, I miss my fellow flutes who would sit by me and talk about Mexican food, and I miss the music. Our spring term doesn't start till January, and I can't wait. It's so beautiful to sit in the midst of an orchestra playing beautiful music with kids who love it as much as I do."

Written this past December, hiding in my draft section, these little paragraphs seem so surreal to me now. My season is over, and I may never set foot in that room again. Due to an already busy schedule and practical parents, I have no plans to return to the youth symphony this fall. It is interesting to read about a stage of your life that was was thoroughly beautiful, and to realize that that stage of your life is now over. As much as you loved that stage, and as much as you miss it, there is a part of you that knows you can never go back. We can choose to mourn this, to wish it never ended, or we can move on. Moving on is good, because when you move on you are ready to embrace the next beautiful stage of your life.


just a few thoughts on a snowy (ugh, and a double ugh) Friday...

xox