Last night and again this morning, I enjoyed the 6th Grade Show at my daughters’ school. My eldest had a speaking role and a singing solo, so I attended every time they performed it (including the dress rehearsal on Monday!) The show was quite clever; all about the beauty found in different kinds of music…very funny and original. Of course, I thought one particular performer was exceptional 🙂 but was actually quite impressed by the number of really talented performers there were in this group of 11 and 12 year olds. At the end of the show, they all come on to the stage for their curtain call. As I looked over this group of 110 or so kids…many whom I have known since they were in 2nd grade…I have to admit that I got a little teary. There is something about this age that is so….so…well, something. Wonderful and innocent and terrifying and beautiful and arrogant and self-conscious and pure would be some of the words that come to mind. These kids are perched right on the line between being little boys/ girls and being men/ women…one foot in childhood and one foot in adolescence. I am so excited for my precious first-born to take this next step on her journey…so proud of her poise and beauty and talent today on that stage…yet a bit nostalgic for that little one with her blankie and Bubba in her arms and her thumb in her mouth.
The final song before the curtain call was a perfect benediction for the kids as they complete this last week or so of elementary school and look to the future and the choices they will face in middle school and beyond. Thought you might enjoy these lyrics to this popular Natasha Bedingfield song that they sang today…probably some good ideas for us in them as well…
“Unwritten”
I am unwritten, can’t read my mind, I’m undefined
I’m just beginning, the pen’s in my hand, ending unplannedStaring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book beginsThe rest is still unwritten
Of course, one might suggest that the pen is better in Someone else’s hand and we would be wise to let the SON illuminate the words we couldn’t find…but I’ll leave that for another day 🙂 Bottom line, all of our futures our still unwritten and we have choices to make about our tomorrow…what words are on our lips that only we can speak?
