Proud to Call Them Friends

Gloria began participating in choir school at our church this year.  Although it is directed by our church musicians, it is a community-wide organization with children from all town.  It was a big commitment--for her and for me.  Besides just learning to sing the selections, she had to memorize and recite the words, learn beginning music theory, master basic "Solfege," learn certain things about Anglican worship (this was the super easy part for her since she is IN church EVERY Sunday, but that's another post for another time...) and perform in three concerts.  I had to make sure she was memorizing her words and studying her music theory as well as take her to rehearsal E-V-E-R-Y Monday night throughout the school year.  I'm not sure which of those was the hardest!

When I first began to contemplate the hour and a half of rehearsal every week, along with the extra hour of "ribbon class" before hand every other week, I thought of many things I could do with my time...

• run errands by myself
• go to the Y by myself
• work on my thesis
• grade papers
• write lesson plans
• read

All of these were "alone" things, and I very rarely have alone time.  I'm okay with that, it's the life I chose, but gosh...the thought of alone time every week from September to May?  I was kind of excited!

What I had not planned on was meeting other choir moms.  Yes, I knew I would "meet" them, probably recognize their faces and their children, but that would be it.  I'm not good when it comes to meeting new people and getting to know them.  It's hard for me.  Really.  It makes me cringe and want to run away.  But here I am, nine months later, wondering "What was I thinking?"  Because if I had gone off to run errands or go to the Y, or found a quiet corner somewhere to work or read, I would not have gotten to experience and value the friendship of these lovely ladies.

"The Choir Moms of St. P's"

We have spent so many evenings together.  And there are so many common threads that run throughout our life stories.  We talked, laughed, shared frustrations, and lifted each other up.  We discussed our daughters, our families, our pets, school, theology, you name it.  I still graded or filed papers while they completed a quilt or two (or three??)  for a choir school fund raiser.  So our evenings were not filled with idle chit chat.

I'm so glad, so very thankful, that I did not allow my introverted personality to take control and that I was able to allow myself to be open to the gift of new friendships.  What a special gift it has been.  Ladies, I love y'all!