By Staff
My co-workers laughed and poked fun at me this week. Normally, that kind of thing might hurt my feelings, but I'm not easily offended.
I was lucky enough to be assigned the task of taking pictures at the W.S. Neal High School band concert. I gladly accepted the job and was looking forward to being entertained by the band with some great holiday music.
The band did not disappoint me at all. The musical selections were wonderful and the performance was perfectly beautiful.
I moved around the auditorium a couple of times and took pictures from different angles. When you think about it, how many different pictures can you take of band members playing instruments and have a different look? When a trumpet player plays Silent Night it looks pretty much the same as when they are playing Sleigh Ride. Go figure.
At any rate, I made my way to the front row to try a few different angles to get a good shot of a few members of the band.
It just so happened that I made it to a prime spot in the auditorium just in time for the reading of the Christmas story by one of the members. I'm really sorry now that I didn't get his name, but the band member who read the scriptures from Luke about the birth of Christ did an excellent job.
As a matter of fact, the reading and what the other members did during the reading literally had me in tears.
My friend Donna won't be surprised that I cried that night. She always said I was a weepy person. She's right and last Tuesday night was an exclamation point to her statement.
The reader was accompanied on keyboards as the strains of Silent Night were played softly as a backdrop to his recitation. What sent me into a puddle was what happened just about half way through the reading.
As I sat thinking how wonderful it was that the band director had chosen to include the reading in the bands performance, I was enchanted by the voices of the band as they began singing softly in the background.
As a Christian, it warmed my heart to see a stage filled with more than 50 children under the age of 18 singing such a soulful song with such sweetness. Anyone with love in their heart and a thankful spirit would surely have been moved that night.
As the reading and the music ended I wanted to spring to my feet and give the band the ovation they so richly deserved. However, I remained seated, wiping my eyes and clapped my hands in praise.
Now as I'm thinking about my choice to stay seated, I'm wondering why I chose not to stand. It could have been because not one person in the audience rose at the end of the song. I didn't want to be singled out and called the crazy woman down front.
In retrospect I should have stood. I should have taken that opportunity to show the band just how much I enjoyed that particular performance and to let other audience members know how I felt.
Even though I missed a prime opportunity to show my appreciation and enjoyment at the talent of the group, I'm taking this opportunity to give them an ovation they deserve.
Lisa Tindell is the news
editor for The Brewton Standard. She can be reached by email at lisa.tindell@brewtonsard.com.