As the horrors have unfolded, I have wanted to cry, but have not. Under the surface there is this need to and even though I am 3000 miles away, I mourn the loss of our brothers and sisters and am anxious about the events that are about to unfold as we fight whoever did this. Actually I would like to fast forward time and just go to the end, but we cannot, so we must wait.
I know that the first time I will cry is when I am in a group singing. I will start this song in the alto pitch so that when the high and low notes are sung we can all still sing along.
Oh say does that star spangled banner yet wave…
Just last week my husband and in-laws were teasing me for crying when the national anthem was played at a Sky Concert. I answered, “How can you not cry? We get to live in the greatest country in the world and I have too many family members in the military not to be moved when I hear it.”
When putting my seven year old to bed last night he told me that they had sung “Let There be Peace on Earth” at school that day. The school has a diverse population, but mainly white, black, and Chaldean kids. He asked if we could sing it together as a bedtime song. I did get through it without choking up too badly, and it was a wonderful moment for us.
If I may, please join in…
:tenor, who will need help with the high notes:
“Let there be Peace on Earth,
and let it begin with me…”
I will sing the next part since even though I am an alto, can actually hit these high notes. Children always seem to keep things in perspective for us.
Let there be peace on earth,
The peace that was meant to be.
With God as our father…
Brothers all are we.
Let me walk with my brother, in perfect harmony…
Paul, I don’t envy you or any parent with older children at all. I am so thankful my daughter is only 10 months old. I can’t explain all this to myself, let alone a child who is innocent of all the politics and hate in the world.
“Let peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now…”
[sub]Sorry, my voice broke on that last note, this is still difficult…[/sub]
SeGate, welcome to the boards. The surprising thing is how understanding and empathetic the little ones can be, as Persephone told us about her little girl, and I have said about my three boys. Even our two year old knows when Mom or Dad is sad and gives out extra hugs (even if he doesn’t understand why.) At first I thought it would be wonderful to return to those days of innocence and not have these worries. Then I remembered that I DID have that chance…I was born in 1968 but I have no real memories of the Vietnam war or the stress that my parents must have been going through at the time.
I hope this was taken as the humor it was meant to be.]]