Well, the other day our neighbor hosted a pool party at his house for his medical team that he works with and their families. We all agree that Dr. Neighbor really knows how to throw a great party! The pool was opened, of course, for the requisite pool party, but they didn't stop there. They had a bounce house, with a huge slide, they had a snow cone mobile parked on the court where they shaved the ice and you could doctor it up from a rainbow of flavors, they also had the best burger joint in town, Bub's Burgers in their mobile grill catering truck grillin' burgers and other summer fare and they had a gaggle of girls delivering the burgers wearing their Bub's t-shirts and working a milkshake station where they were hand-dippin' milkshakes to order. They had rented a white tent and round tables and chairs and when the boyz saw all this activity arriving by the truck load you can imagine their excitement. Our very patient and gracious Dr. Neighbor invited us to come over when the party started and partake along side the very intelligent and somewhat high brow burn unit from the respected hospital in town. Then as if all this circus of activity wasn't enough, it was all capitulated when Carter saw they had a live band setting up for musical entertainment. He raced home, got his own guitar that he got last February for his birthday and the stand, bag, kaypo clip, and music book and before you could say, "Hey Carter, what are you doing?" he had it all set up right next to the professional musician's line up of three electric guitars, a banjo, a keyboard, drums and a superhighway of cords plugged into their speaker system. As if I wasn't busy enough keeping Fletcher from dousing their electrical hazard with the giant squirt gun that Dr. Neighbor set out for the party, then I had to try to casually let Carter know that he wasn't going to be part of Ana and the Kings who were hired to perform. But he hears me like the Peanuts hear any adult in the Snoopy cartoons, "Waa, Waaa, Wa, Waaa, Waaa, Waaa." and he doggedly pursued his idea of playing along side the band. It's all cute, I have to admit. But I'm not the kind of mom who likes to show case her children and make them perform their latest tricks. In fact, I try hard not to be that mom. And Carter desires to play the guitar earnestly, however, it's the practicing that gets him. Or the lack of desire for practicing, I should say. He can pluck one recognizable song... Ode to Joy. And before I know it, as I'm now wrestling the oversized squirt gun away from both Fletcher and Kiefer I overhear the kind Kings saying, "Yea, we know Ode to Joy." And then Dr. Neighbor chimes in and says he'd love for Carter to play for the party. Oh dear, does he know what he's asking?! I gulp. I don't want the poor kid to embarrass himself. But is that my pride? Not that it would embarrass me, it really wouldn't. I was actually proud of him for being so self-assured and assertive. But I've heard him play enough to know that he really needs to log more practice hours before he's ready for his first professional gig. But then again, I'm no talent agent. Just his anchor of a mom. So we do a few minor house keeping things to help set up for the party and herd the children back home hoping that they'll forget about Dr. Neighbor's offer to attend the party. Fat chance. The pleads began when the first guests arrived. We held off as long as we could and reluctantly were dragged across the lawn to the office party. Not knowing a soul, other than the host, has it's advantages. And he insisted that we partake and let the kids enjoy themselves. So we bellied up to the burger bar and put back a milkshake or two. Just as I was beginning to relax I heard Ana, of Ana and the Kings introduce "Carter for his guitar debut." And he quietly plucked nearly accurately every note and even the second refrain of Ode to Joy with musical accompaniment delicately played on the keyboard so as not to drown out his debut. It was a really sweet moment and he received thunderous applause. Or maybe that was just from me. (and loud concert whistles from his proud Daddy-O!) His HUGE smile and humble proud smile made me grateful I hadn't intervened too much. Then as I helped him walk his guitar back home he said to me, "You know what mom?" Playing with a band has always been a dream of mine." I told him I didn't know that... but how proud I was of him for pursuing it. And I truly am. And a line from the chorus is ringing loudly in my ears of his faint plucking... "Teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine." Sometimes it takes the young at heart to teach us the very best lessons in life.
- Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee,
Op’ning to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
Drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
Fill us with the light of day! - All Thy works with joy surround Thee,
Earth and heav’n reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee,
Center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea,
Singing bird and flowing fountain
Call us to rejoice in Thee. - Thou art giving and forgiving,
Ever blessing, ever blest,
Wellspring of the joy of living,
Ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother,
All who live in love are Thine;
Teach us how to love each other,
Lift us to the joy divine. - Mortals, join the happy chorus,
Which the morning stars began;
Father love is reigning o’er us,
Brother love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward,
Victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us Sunward
In the triumph song of life.
