I got to play piano today for some great high school kids who are preparing for the vocal and instrument solo and ensemble contest next weekend. Today was the third time I'd practiced w/ some of them, and it's been incredibly rewarding to see how much they've improved w/ just some positive reinforcement and practice. Some are more naturally talented than others, but the ones who lack the natural ability are usually the ones who are trying extra hard. And, most importantly, they keep coming back, which speaks volumes for their tenacity. They know they don't have the same abilities as others, but they keep trying. My favorite students, and the ones I remember most, have always been the flawed ones, struggling by trying to improve, and that's what I find most admirable.
I also got to spend more one-on-one time w/ Maddy this afternoon, talking, wrestling and snuggling. I love these days! She's a great kid, and I love seeing her develop into a young woman, confident and determined. I just plain love kids, which is why my day ended and started so nicely. In one of my morning classes, a student brought her 10-month-old son, Zeke, to class as a model for her speech on how to change a diaper. Of course, I had to hold him before class got started. You just can't be in a bad or sad mood when you're holding a sweet baby. I guess, now that I think about it, my day actually started out kind of crappy as I learned that a friend and co-worker's sister was recently diagnosed w/ leukemia. She and I talked and cried and laughed in, of all places, the copy room. Fortunately Zeke came after all this, and a happy baby trumps cancer every time.
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