My piano students just played in their final recital of the school year. All of my choir duties are finished at school. I got to help the kids with their school musical as well, and that is done and over with. The school year is just about wrapped up, musically. A couple graduations and chapels to play at then moving on to summer music. 

It has been a really great music year. 

I was thinking about my piano students today. How proud I am of them, and how happy they were to show their family and loved ones what they’ve accomplished. I love how kids are unbashful to show off what they’ve achieved. Look what I did! And all the adults in their lives are equally happy to delight in those deeds. Great job! You were awesome! That was amazing! Because they did do a great job and it was amazing and they are awesome. 

When we get older we learn this thing called modesty. Lets not draw attention to how great we are, that would be boasting. We shouldn’t brag. Let somebody else praise us. And all this is true. We don’t like to hear adults talk about all their accomplishments. We don’t like people who brag. Boasting is not attractive. 

But, somewhere in there, I think we might have lost our ability to just celebrate every-day accomplishments. We know how to celebrate the big, giant deeds, but the smaller ones tend to get ignored. 

Today, as I had my last day of lessons with my kids and helped them get ready for their recital, I felt like a little kid, looking for a grownup that I could just tug on their sleeve and say, LOOK WHAT I DID! ISN’T THIS AMAZING! Somehow I managed to communicate well enough that these kids were able to take all their talent and potential, add in a bunch of their own hard work and all grow musically. Noticeable growth. WOW!! I worked hard, they worked hard, and together we did something amazing! 

I’m pretty excited about this past year teaching choir at my kids school too. I got thrown in the deep end and I didn’t drown. I had a crash course in teaching kids’ choirs and I learned a lot. I don’t know if we are making serious progress yet, but I know that all those kids know at least a little more about music than they did at the beginning of the school year. And I am really excited about next year and figuring out how I can become better at the job. 

Not big giant accomplishments. But, something worth celebrating. 

I know you all have things worth celebrating too, and maybe you’re too modest to bring it up. 

I’ll see if I can hit on some of them.

All you parents of school age children out there, guess what! You did it!! You’ve just about got your kids through another school year! You’ve got them to school every day, you’ve fed them, you’ve clothed them, you’ve made sure they did their homework. YOU ARE AMAZING!!! GOOD JOB!!

All you teachers out there.. YOU DID IT!!! YOU’VE JUST ABOUT MADE IT THROUGH ANOTHER SCHOOL YEAR!!! You are amazing. Miracle workers. And all you school administrators, Wow, I am in awe of what you have accomplished this year.

My brain is focused on school related peoples, but hey, all you adults out there. Adulting every day. Wow. Once again, you have pulled yourself out of bed, paid the bills, done the responsible thing yet again. Way to go! 

I’m proud of you all. Good job.