I attended Tessa's end of year concert this past week. I was pleased and proud, tickled and teary. It was so evident the time and effort that went into planning the event, from the stage set to the instruments and songs. The kids were well prepared, excited and did a great job. There are benefits to paying $10,000.00 for preschool I guess, they put on a top notch end of year event. Without recruiting parental involvement.
All the pride and admiration I felt got me teary. Tess has overcome a lot this past year. Months without her daddy, two new schools, two new countries, forging ever on, bravely stepping into whatever life circumstances she found herself wandering into as a result of her parents decisions. Watching her up on that stage singing her heart out in Arabic, waving her arms back and forth, it felt like a moment of triumph. She had struggled, she had fought and she had succeeded.
In addition to my overwhelming feelings of gratitude and admiration for my four year old, were moist eyes in regards to the songs they sang. Ms. Diane, the music teacher at school, seemed to be inspired when it came to the song choices these little munchkins sang. One was called, 'We Can Work it Out'. The lyrics I remember most (and that T sings the most at home) go something like:
"We got a problem, we can work it out. What's the point of arguing? We can work it out. Let's get together and build it high. We can build it high."
The lyrics take on a whole new level of meaning when you find yourself half way across the world from your home, sitting in a room full of Saudi's. It's not a culture, we as Americans have had an easy time understanding. Nor a cultural relationship that we can be especially proud of in the way we've conducted ourselves. So when I see small children, from across both sides of the line, singing together that they can work it out, that they can build something out of this relationship, an ordinary end of year concert gets extraordinary pretty fast.
The last song they sang you may be familiar with. I'll attach a link below of the original lyrics and artist. It's a moving piece of music in it's own right, but again, put it into the mouths of babes, waving hands back and forth and SINGING THEIR HEARTS out (in English and Arabic) that when they were older, they would be stronger, the world would call them freedom, well, it was almost more than this mama could keep in check. Little champions, taking the field of life and defining the world as they go. The feeling in the room was powerful and I think every parent, regardless of ethnic origin was moved.
(original lyrics)
My faith has never wavered in regards to Tessa and her resolve. She will find somewhere to change her corner of the world, of this I have no doubt, and if the rest of her friends that sang alongside her today join that crusade? I think we as a generation will be moved and mystified. Proud will need to be replaced with another word, carrying much more weight and emotion. Hold on to your hats folks, it's going to be a good show.
1 comment:
those songs are powerful. thank for those tears this morning, sister. If T is anything like her mama (and she is), she will have a major impact on her little corner and lift and inspire many a life.
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