Summer vacation. Most people I work with take a vacation in the summer and go someplace nice and peaceful. Others use it to do work on their house, using the time constructively to make improvements around home. This is not the case with my vacation.
For the past three years, I have taken a week's worth of my vacation time and spent it with my former high school's marching band... out in the sun...every day for an entire week. I am part of the visual staff that helps to dream up the elements of their fall marching program, make them a reality and then transfer that onto the field. I also help the color guard choreographers teach and clean the work they write. Prior to working with the fall program, I volunteered the same tasks for years with the winter color guard.
For the past three years, I have taken a week's worth of my vacation time and spent it with my former high school's marching band... out in the sun...every day for an entire week. I am part of the visual staff that helps to dream up the elements of their fall marching program, make them a reality and then transfer that onto the field. I also help the color guard choreographers teach and clean the work they write. Prior to working with the fall program, I volunteered the same tasks for years with the winter color guard. I am self-admittedly not in the best physical shape and easily the oldest person out on the field every day (and many of the kids like to remind me of that fact). I get sore and sunburned to the point where it almost hurts to lay down in bed at night - and I might not attempt it if it wasn't for the fact that standing up hurts even worse.
I joke around about the pain and my age a lot while I am at camp. However, there are a lot of moments when I take stock of my life and honestly really wonder..."Why am I still doing this?"
Upon reflection, I really have a lot of various reasons for submitting myself to this demon but the underlying one really is the one that supports all the rest. My surface reasons are many....
#1. The Students. It is very obvious to me that I learn more from the students than they learn from me. I have known some of them for years and as I have watched them grow as individuals, I have become a wiser person. They also keep me young. I can still laugh with them and I have learned that I can have friends of all ages. This year, I was able to meet more band kids than before and they are just as amazing. Can you imagine watching a young person who had a double lung transplant 5 months prior, out on the field marching with everyone else?!? How can you see that not be inspired?
#2. The Experience. I love to reconnect with the people I have grown to love, but it is the opportunity to interact with new people that is sometimes more exciting. Last year, I got to meet a great new director. This year two new staff members joined who were a lot of fun. Every person just adds to the total experience. Plus, I get to meet new band parents. With most of them, I get to see examples of how really good parenting produces amazing kids. On the flip side, I also am able to observe what happens without parental involvement. As a result, I have been able to start my own parenting experience with open eyes.#3. The Art. I feel totally blessed to have as one of my closest friends, one of the most creative people I have ever met. Robert's insight and vision draws out from me artworks that without his inspiration would never have seen the light of day. He challenges me artistically on levels that I would not attempt on my own. On top of all that, he appreciates me and respects my opinion beyond anyone else in my creative world. I don't think he truly realizes how grateful I am for his trust and support. He is just simply... the greatest muse I have ever encountered and I love him for that.
The biggest and most underlying reason for my continued participation is that I feel that I owe it to this activity...as a form of payback. The one decision I made, to audition for marching band almost 26 years ago... is directly responsible for most of the best things in my life: my friends, my husband (and by that means...my daughter), my confidence and continued artistic growth. My path in life would have been so different had I not made that one, seemingly insignificant, choice. It was a turning point that took years to recognize. I love my life and I can't image any other outcome than what I have. My mother always tells me that, aside from saying 'Yes' to my husband's proposal and having my daughter...joining band was the smartest decision I've ever made.
Despite how sore and sunburned I am today...I'd have to agree.
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