THE GIRL'S CHORAL GROUP
It was the middle of December, and it was going to be an especially nice day at our
Senior Center; we were being treated to a children's holiday concert. As the ten year old
girls came pouring into room filled with white and grey haired seniors...(that is, under
the blonde, brunette, red and any shade that came from a bottle), we stood and applauded
our welcome. This was Part 1 of their concert, they'd come back next week for Part 2.
They were wonderful, didn't disappoint us, with their voices and choice of happy holiday songs.
We loved their smiles too. When it was over we chatted with them, and when they left we sat
around and talked about them...how some had brought back memories of ourselves at the age
of 10 years.
"The girl on the right side with the blonde pony tail...gosh, she reminded me of someone...
ME at that age." said Susan, one of our most senior seniors, " Her movements with the
music, was so natural, so outgoing...I was like that. I loved being on stage..."
"Really?" Donna said, "then she was the opposite, of the girl in the last row... with the dark
hair and the bangs...standing all the way in the back, and glad to be hidden by the girl in front
of her."
"Oh yes, that's for sure!" I said.
"Why do you think that?" asked Susan.
"I can tell that she was trying to hide from the audience." I said. "Didn't you notice?" I
burst out laughing ," But though I was watching her I was also watching the one in the
very center of the front row... she decided that she was 'in charge', " I pointed in the
direction of my daughter Debbie who was in conversation with some of the other
visiting families, "like someone else I know...very very well."
The roomful of women laughed along with me, but Debbie heard what I said
and didn't crack a smile.
"Oh yeah, my daughter has become my mother, she thinks" said Gloria.
"They've all become our mothers," called a voice and the room burst into applause.
One of the visiting daughters called out, "I deny that!"
"Well, ....." I said, " Don't get us wrong, we love you and your help..." I turned to
the group of seniors; "But, like yesterday when I was putting on my eye shadow
Debbie says to me, 'Ma, put it on both eyes.' I was furious,"Well, I know that!" I said.
And then," I continued, "a few weeks ago, she told me that my face was green..'
Remember that?" I asked Debbie.
"I do," said Debbie, "because it was green... your eye shadow was smeared all over."
"Oh, come on...!" I scoffed.
She shrugged, "OK, so next time I won't tell you."
Her words hit me like a blast of icy air, "Oh no," I burst out, "You have to. You
can't let me go out like that!"
"Well, Ma, " said Debbie, rolling her eyes, "Should I tell you or not tell you? Which is it?"
I didn't answer, changed the subject right away.And many of the other mother's helped
me to do it, with talk of holiday plans, new babies in the family...
The following week the girls choral group came back to sing for us. Again, we sang along
with them, the happy Holiday songs, and the sad love songs.
But I was focused on the girl in the back row, again trying to hide from the audience. I stared
hard at her, sending my ESP message to her until she finally did turn her head slightly and
caught my eye, (I wasn't surprised, it had worked before.) Listen to me! I thought, Stand
up straight, you don't need to hide... you look wonderful, your shiny black hair with the
bangs show up your heart shaped face and dimples...I smiled at her and she smiled back.
I turned my head indicating that she should follow my gaze to the girl in the first row.
"Do you know her, your classmate in the first row with the blonde pony tail? She's not hiding,
oh no, she feels very comfortable where she is and who she is. And you should be too!"
Did she hear me..? She couldn't have because I wasn't speaking, but the message
I was sending her was loud and clear. And it seemed to me that she stood straighter
than before.
And I understood it, because once, a long time ago... I was her.
THE END
