How She Teaches Me Magic

We sit on the couch. Together. Just talking. One of my favorite things to do with her. And she asks for my thoughts about the choir concert. She genuinely wants to know which songs were my fave. She also wants feedback on her solo part. So, we discuss. We talk all things choir. Her sister interrupts every now and then with her "music nerd" comments.

For this concert, the Director switched up the formation of where everyone stands. We talk about this too. Because I couldn't see her that well. And when this girl sings, my eyes never leave her. So, I tell her that the new standing arrangement made me sad.

"Oh, I love it when we stand that way. I can hear better, which helps me sing better." When I looked confused, she explains it for me. Normally, all the singers are bunched tight together based on their voice range. In that kind of a setup, you can only hear the singers nearest you, the ones who sing in your range. But when the group loosens up and spreads out, they can all see one another. That's when they can hear the full range of everyone's voices put together. They can hear what the full song really sounds like.

And it makes sense. And she uses big hand motions and her eyes get wide with excitement while she breaks it all down for me. She convinces me just with the truth of her explanation.

And this thought sticks with me for days. The thought that spreading out helps us to see and hear one another better. That when we stay tightly confined to what we've always known, that's just all we ever hear. But, if we take the courage to broaden our space and step into an unknown light, we just might find the bigger picture we've always hoped for. It's like a majestic view is just waiting for us to be bold enough to change it up. Move out in order to bring it all in.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. And again. These kids of mine are my teachers. They are my leaders showing me the way. They are bold and brave and honest. It's gut-wrenchingly beautiful sometimes.

We're not all singers standing on a stage. But we are all humans living our own story. Just think of all the beauty that waits for you to step out of the path that you normally walk. Think about all that you can hear if you stand at a different angle. And all the magnitude you can see once you plant yourself in a place where you can understand better what everyone sounds like.

We are all in this together. This daily living and doing, thing. We need each other, there's no way around it. It's all a part of the master plan anyway. So, let's decide together to broaden our steps. To move into a space that gives us a better life view. Just think of the extraordinary way we can shape where we are. Just with a step or two. Or, maybe ten.

And once you're there, open your eyes and see.

Look at what can happen when we all sing at perfect pitch. Not perfect by the world's standard. Perfect just for you. Which makes it perfect just for me.

It's magic. Simply magic.
Let's do this.

Together.