It's a Bear!

O's concert was tonight.  J had a VIM, but Ya-ya was in Osseo working on cemetery flowers so she popped over for the show.  The kids donned the tie-dyed t-shirts they made in art class for the camp-themed performance. 

Right away I was really impressed by the music and choreography. O, who is well-known for his stoic nature, was very animated in his gestures and dance.  Turns out "Summer Camp" was partially arranged by my mom's cousin (to our happy surprise.)   When we saw his name on the back of the program, it all made sense.

Our neighbor, N, played the part of Frenchy from Grease during Super Choir's portion of the show. Many of O's friends had features throughout the "Summer Camp" performance, but the part that tugged my heart was The Bear.  

A little over a month ago, a schoolmate of O's lost his mother.   I took O to the visitation.  The boy explained every photo in the displays while O quietly followed him, listening without a word (a trait he gets from his father.)  He showed O his mother in her casket, took him up to the alter, explained the lighting of candles.  I watched from the narthex.  It was a tender moment I will never forget.  Tonight, towards the end of the concert, the kids sung "It's a Bear."  You can see O acting out the "over here, over there" part.  Mid-song, the boy walks out with a bear hat on.  Following his dance and the faux-frightened soloists, he proceeded to tell numerous slap-stick bear jokes, always waiting for the musical pause that cued his punchline.  He was a star and I was so thankful in that moment that my kids go to this school.  A school that values not only standards, but even more important things like community, the impact of music and art, service, graciousness, cultural & socioeconomic diversity, environment, consciousness ... the whole child or bear in some cases.