That Used To Be Me.....

The end of another school year! I can hardly believe we have crossed the line from Spring to Summer. Well, not officially, but once the last day of school arrives, it is Summertime in the hearts of the kiddos. For me, it's kind of bittersweet. I love to see the end of all the school projects, and late night homework frenzies, but there is another side to this finish line and quite simply....it's a time for celebrations and closing out a page of one's life. Of course, my daughter doesn't see it that way....she is just so thrilled to be done with AP World History! She doesn't see that she is one step closer to saying "good-bye" to dear friends and moving on with her life. Okay, that sounds REALLY melodramatic, but all this rushing to grow up? You want to just say "hey, stop complaining and enjoy this....if you blink, you'll miss it!"

One of the traditional "end of the school year treasures" for me is the last Choral Concert. Thankfully, BG shares my love of music and I must admit, I kind of pushed her towards participating in Chorus, and it paid off. She loves it and next year, not only will she be in the Concert Choir, but singing and dancing her heart out in the Show Choir! Yeah!!! More concerts to attend. More nervous Mom moments as I sit in the front row of the auditorium and reminisce.

Were you ever involved in something that just MADE your life seem a little more special? That was Chorus for me and if you were part of that "community"...you understand. It's singing (duh!) and laughing, and crying and fighting.....oh yeah, there were plenty of those. Chorus members were usually part of the Drama team as well and no one can Cat Fight like a wanna-be Diva! There were plenty of broken hearts as we traded off boyfriends, or just innocent crushes, on a weekly basis. Each time thinking for certain that this was the TRUE LOVE of our life. The road trips, the competitions, the costumes! You love him. You hate her. She's your friend. He winked at you. She cried on the phone. He drove off with someone new. Not to mention the horrid S.A.T.B. songs about a crystal clear stream, and a ribbon of peace winding through the mountains...(oh gag!). But despite it all, I do have my favorites, and I do, to this day, get a little teary when I hear "The Road Not Taken", or "The Water is Wide". It's a Chorus thing.....

As I watch my daughter's friends scramble around the stage to set up the risers and manipulate the microphones with an air of importance....all the fun dance moves and sparkling attire....I just want to SCREAM..."don't blink....you'll miss it!". They are so absorbed in how grown up they are, some getting ready for college in the Fall, each one oblivious to the fact that their audience is made up of parents and grandparents who once strutted their stuff across the boards. That used to be me, standing on the top riser next to my best friend, Lynn. That was me, trying not to make eye contact with the boy I had a crush on as we belted out the sappy, four part harmony, love ballad. That was me, hanging out in the choral director's office (where all the REALLY cool kids would be) when we were supposed to be in Sociology. That was me, painting banners for the Choral Department's Homecoming Float....me again, with the violently shaking knees as I attempt to sing a solo....and that was me....being young and having the most wonderful time!

"Don't blink....you'll miss it!"

So another school year has passed and a busy summer is stretched out before us. My daughter's choral gown hangs in the closet, just waiting for September to roll around again and as I watch Miss Priss, doing her thing up on the stage, I'll have that little tugging to remind my heart......"That used to be me...."


K