The Performance of a Lifetime
By Maria Trillo
Editor's note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the author exclusively.
By Maria Trillo
Editor's note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the author exclusively.
My fifteen year old granddaughter Nicole is in an integrated class at East Islip High school in New York. She came home from school one day and said she wanted to be in the chorus. I knew that being in the chorus would mean performing in a Christmas concert, but figured we would worry about that when the time comes.
Every day she came home with her practice sheets, and sang her little heart out; it was so sweet to hear her singing away around the house, but the day would come where she would have to get up on stage with the chorus and perform, and it did. The children filed up on stage one after another like little soldiers, all wearing black, and stood at perfect attention, waiting for their cue to begin singing.
We were all there, her parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. We sat with bated breath, and when the moment came, she looked so beautiful.
My daughter immediately said to her husband, “I think I better go backstage. What if she has a meltdown or gets nervous or afraid?"
He replied to her, ”Let's just sit and watch. She'll work on it." That's one of Nicole's favorite lines when she can't do or tolerate something - "I'm working on it."
We all sat there with such trepidation, almost afraid to take our eyes off her, for fear we would miss a sign that she was not doing well. She did better than well; she sang every song, didn't miss a beat, and when the performance was over, she gave the girl next to her a high five gesture. Need I tell you there wasn't a dry eye among us? This was the best gift we all received that Christmas of 2007.
We were all there, her parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. We sat with bated breath, and when the moment came, she looked so beautiful.
My daughter immediately said to her husband, “I think I better go backstage. What if she has a meltdown or gets nervous or afraid?"
He replied to her, ”Let's just sit and watch. She'll work on it." That's one of Nicole's favorite lines when she can't do or tolerate something - "I'm working on it."
We all sat there with such trepidation, almost afraid to take our eyes off her, for fear we would miss a sign that she was not doing well. She did better than well; she sang every song, didn't miss a beat, and when the performance was over, she gave the girl next to her a high five gesture. Need I tell you there wasn't a dry eye among us? This was the best gift we all received that Christmas of 2007.
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