Marching Band

               
There are certain things that I am fanatical about - my love for America, promoting breastfeeding, supporting parents, education....and marching band.

I never was in band in school, never learned to play an instrument but I had always had friends who did band. When I was 15, I was sleeping over my friend's house and she was talking about how fun band camp was. She was a pretty kick-ass flute player. She talked it up so much that night, that I was jealous. "I wish I could be in marching band."
"Come to band camp tomorrow and tell them you want to be in it."
"But I don't play an instrument."
"So what?"

That is exactly what I did. I showed up to band camp, walked up to the band director and told him that I wanted to be in the marching band. "What instrument do you play?"
"I don't play one."
He looked at me like I had 3 heads.
                      
Then he handed me some cymbals. "You can be marching cymbals. Go over there with the drum line."
I walked over and was like, "Hey! I don't know how to do this but I'm in the drum line now." Bless them, they took me in even though I was clueless. I would just crash my cymbals randomly. It was the most fun I'd ever had. The next year I graduated to the bass drum. I was really moving up in the world. I loved every minute of it. It was a bright spot in a time of my life that was very dark and tumultuous.

There is something magical about marching band that you can't even put into words. You have to experience it. No matter who you are, what you look like, what your background is - once you are in band, you are family and band is life. Everyone is important, you are truly PART of something and that is rare in adolescence.

My daughter expressed interest in playing music in 6th grade. We got her a flute and she would sit in the back yard and play to the dog. She participated in the clinics offered and got into the all-county beginners band. When I discovered that it was an option for her to join marching band in 7th grade, I put it on the table. She gave me a resounding "yes". The child was named after a marching band term- it's in her destiny. She's grown up listening to me talking about how epic marching band is.

It was not easy in the beginning. The second week she came home discouraged and said, "I'm going to quit. I will never be able to learn the music."
I scoffed. "Have faith. You can do this. I promise you won't regret it."

She was unsure of herself, but she went back and was encouraged by the older kids and directors who truly mentored her. And guess what? She has loved every minute. I have seen her blossom these past few months. She is more confident, she is happy, she is PART of something.

The band made it to the state championship, which was a huge opportunity and privilege. The kids have worked so hard and they went out there and gave it their all. I stood on the sidelines and watched my daughter march her heart out, blowing into her flute with all the focus and intensity in her little body.

It doesn't take much for me to cry, and I did. I was so proud of her and so happy that she has a passion that she loves.

The band did not place as high as they would have liked and when I met her back at the bus she was disappointed. She buried her head into my shoulder and cried. I entertained it for a moment and allowed her to mourn and I told her what I would have told myself. "Hold your head high. You went out there and did your very best. Look around you- you are with people you love, you made it all the way here, you have 5 more years left. You are blessed!" She dried up quick and left me to go be with her friends.

One day, she won't even remember where the band placed. The years will all kind of blend together eventually. She will remember moments, the people that she spent so much time with, football games, the feeling of being under the lights when she marched a show. Those are the things that will be important in the end. Time has a way of bringing perspective.

Now that band season is over, it is gymnastics competition season, which means my youngest gets to be the star. We will be doing a fair amount of traveling this season. I LOVE to watch her compete. She is truly amazing and dedicated to the sport and I am sure I will do a fair amount of crying and give my lectures to her too.

It is a busy life, but it's a good life and I wouldn't have it any other way.