Finding the beauty in art...

As most moms were this week; I was completely overwhelmed by the end of year activities. 2 concerts & a confirmation on back to back week nights. Last night after the final concert my family was decompressing around the dining room table & I was struck by the overwhelming appreciation I had for the past 3 days. I reflected on the beauty of each evening; having been moved to tears at each event. Music is a part of the curriculum at the schools my children attend. My boys definitely would not elect it if given the choice. Both upper and lower school sang Shenandoah. When all 3 of my kids were little I enrolled us in a Music Together class & Shenandoah was a song on the cd we were given. That cd quieted my preschool and toddler aged kids on many a car ride. To see my kids standing on stage surrounded by peers singing Shenandoah this week was a striking reminder of the passage of time & the beauty in their growth. I was also struck by how enjoyable it was to see youth working together to create music. Too often our evenings & weekends are filled with sporting competitions & practices or recitals. The vibe at a sporting event or recital is a bit stressful to me as a parent as I know my child has internal pressure to perform. The concerts were a beautiful way to watch the students perform collectively without the stress of competition. As I was tucking my 9 year old in last night I quipped that we needed more concerts & less competition in our lives. He said; “ We need more of all the arts mom. More drawing, more painting, more music & more photography.” My happy heart agreed with him.