I have something to say...

“I have something to say,” she exclaimed right in the middle of her choir performance. Jillian, our perfectly regular 7 year old, introduced without any pretension whatsoever, a story she needed to tell. I forgot my camera, but I will have ingrained in my memory this night, because Jillian, my daughter, had something to say.

Her choir director was interjecting anecdotal bits about the Christmas songs the were singing between each number. She was brief but interesting. She was giving the kids a chance to collect themselves between each tune. She was keeping the audience’s attention and pointing us toward the real reason for the season and the songs. Between one song and another the director deviated from her routine to share a slice of humor about how the kids learned the call and response of the next piece in the program. She told how they seemed to follow the music better than she could. She explained that she would find herself directing the wrong side of the choir while the right one was singing.... when Jillian announced,

“I have something to say!”

Jillian proceeded to elaborate on the director’s version of how they learned the song and the silliness it wrought during rehearsals. She found her own memory of the event both interesting and noteworthy. She was compelled to share all the details with the rest of us. I can’t remember all of what Jillian said except that by the time she was done, I had tears of joy (primed by laughter) streaming down my face.

Mistakes are funny. Who can deny it? Isn’t it fun to laugh at ourselves? Isn’t it exciting to realize what we can overcome? Isn’t it marvelous when a 7 year old captures the attention of entire audience of adults doing something she shouldn’t do but delighting us all? Aren’t I lucky she is my little girl?

Afterward, someone asked me if I was embarrassed. I answered, "Yes," but I should have said, “No.” In retrospect, my daughter’s blunder made me ridiculously proud. Proud that her joy in singing was evident. Proud that she can stand up in front of an auditorium full of people and tell a story. Proud that she can speak loudly and clearly. Proud that the nervousness of the occasion didn’t squelch her enthusiasm. Proud that she is confident enough to share her thoughts about things. Proud that 100 sets of eyes on her doesn’t change her one bit. You can dress her up, make her wear shiny shoes and tie a satin bow in her hair but Jillian is true all the way through. She is a wonderful, amazing, funny, beautiful and bright little girl and I have a feeling, Jillian will always have something to say....