Tonight I went to my high school to watch a chorus concert. I was in chorus all 4 years, and played piano for the concert the first semester out of high school, but since then I have not been to see a concert. I went to see my chorus teacher, Michelle Lokhorst. When I was in high school we sang in the cafeteria because the theater wasn't built yet, and now they sing in there.
So going there again and watching them sing brought back so many memories, like it was yesterday. Like I should have been up there. No way should I be in my 4th year of college sitting out in the audience knowing nobody in the room. I remember our chorus dresses that were all black, with sparkles in the middle and velvet on the top. All the girls would be in the bathrooms putting on make-up, doing whatever to their hair, etc. Craming in the chorus room to warm up, being too loud, nervously lining up to go in the cafeteria to sit down and then on the risers. I remember chorus being my favorite part of the day. I had close friends in there, I liked to sing, and I liked Mrs. Lokhorst. We went to a competition each year called festival where judges judged the group, I went to All-state my sophomore and senior year where we try out with kids all over the state and the best go to Savannah for a weekend and sing with the other bests of the state and perform a concert, I was in a trio my junior and senior year that went to another competition called literary meet, and I sang the national anthem all 4 years in high school for graduation - the first 3 as a solo, and the last year as a trio. I was the big fish in the little pond. There were a few other big fish around me, but just a few. Libby Bailey, Kaley Harper (both in my trio my senior year), and a few others.
After the concert I got to talk to Michelle for a while and it was good. She was my favorite teacher in high school. She was someone I went to when I was having a bad day or needed advice or somebody to talk to. She was always very supportive, encouraging and a great person. I always enjoyed our conversations and she let me tag along with whatever she was doing during pep ralleys when I didn't want to stand in the stands with people screaming in my ears or when school was over and I was waiting for my mom to pick me up on days I stayed late for something. We've kept in touch some over the past 3 and a half years, but she is one of those people in my life that I wish I could see her more often and that I hope to keep up with for a long time.
Sometimes you have to really step back and appreciate the people you have in your life right now. Every day. The people you're in class with, the people you work with, your family, your friends, people in your church, people in whatever hobby you might do, etc. Because there will come a time when they move on or you move on, and you might be able to keep up with them, but it's different than seeing them every day for months or years. You then have to decide - who will I keep up with? How much effort am I willing to put into it? How often should I make the effort? There are lots of great people I could keep in touch with, but we're busy people living in a busy world and I can't keep up with everybody.
I have this bulleton board in my room with pictures on it. It's full of pictures, no blank spaces are left. I put pictures of all the people in my life that I want to keep up with. The ones who have made a difference in my life at one point in time and that I want to make the effort to keep in touch, even if it's only once or twice a year. More than a hello on facebook or a quick e-mail. Some I still see often, but some I only see once a year or so. But it remindes me that those are the people who have shaped who I am and who have made a mark on me, and I care for all of them.
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