So, there are some things that I love about this time of year. Yes, it’s manic, no, there’s never enough time to get everything done, yes, I’m panicking over the gift knitting and the gift buying, and stressing out about the cards, and the food, and hoping that no-one gets ill, or if they do, that they get better in time for Christmas…
But then there are the concerts, and these moments are among the ones that remind me that life is precious, and fleeting, and that my beautiful children will only play this piece, here, now, just this once, and I need to concentrate and appreciate it because soon it will be gone. And because I always think thoughts like this when I watch my children perform, I always cry, and have to pretend not to, because they will be embarrassed and I will be panda-eyed. And because I want to concentrate fully on the moment, I never video the concerts, and what photographs I take are hardly worthy of the name; instead they serve as markers in time, reminders that we were there, then, and that piece, that moment, happened.
Every year, Alex busks with his cello group to raise money for charity. When he started, he was one of the little ones at the front wearing the Santa hat or the reindeer antlers. Now he is one of the big ones at the back (to the right of this photo), clad in black and with his floppy fringe covering his face.
The last day of term at my boys’ school is always the end of term concert. This year Will (on the left) and a friend performed the Leonard Cohen song ‘Hallelujah’, and Alex and a friend performed the Tears for Fears song ‘Mad World’. Both songs were beautiful, and yes, both made me cry…
On Saturday (which was also Will’s sixteenth birthday), both boys performed in the musical The Music Man with their drama group. You might be able to spot Will at the back on the right, with a top hat on, and Alex over on the left, wearing a dark jacket and a straw boater. It was the first time they have performed on stage together, and it was lovely watching them.
What lovely Christmas events, lovely precious moments in amongst the whirlwind of December.
Love the Dark Ice Cowl by the way.
This post brought a tear to my eye. It’s so lovely your boys are still performing. I suspect Joel may well drop it as soon as he can.
Its really great your sons are performing. they seem to be very musical
16? hm big birthday 😀
thanks for sharing this with us, it really touched me to read your feelings and thoughts- i am sure all mothers can really relate to it.
and it is also a reminder to enjoy lifes preciousmoments. thank you
Awww. I had some serious nostalgia from this post. I love that your kids are so musically inclined, very, very cool. They have a great mom
It must be so exciting and touching to see your children performing. And it is great that they both are into it (I did music for over 8 years and although I wanted to quit it every now and then I am happy that my parents made me finish the courses). I am sure your boys will feel the same.
And I would like to thank you for a nice comment about the PassiFlora magazine! It took me a while to have all of this ready and now I am working on the second issue (should be out in the beginning of February), However, I really miss my knitting. I will try to catch up on my projects during the holiday “time off”. Hope to be blogging about some FO’s in January.
Happy holidays to you and your loved ones!
P.S. Feel free to spread the word and pass the link to PassiFlora magazine to your friends and family.
I always cry, too.
Wow – you got me crying just imagining them playing those songs! I too cry at kid’s concerts, and my own kids don’t even need to be performing. My older son Cameron as you probably remember is the musician in this family and is on his way to a career as a professional trumpet player. You are right when you say its best just to sit back and appreciate the music, but here is one awful attempt I made at recording him last year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c040PRBU9uY
ah, my own little tear is for youthful life and optimism and opportunity and hope. Looks like you are giving your boys all of these.
The socks are spesh too.
Sounds like wonderful events – my daughter just had her winter concert this week, and it was beautiful – and I thought the same thing that this time goes so quickly, and soon she’ll be all grown up!