Where Troubles Melt Like Lemon Drops

Some of the kids from the musical agreed to get together and sing the songs from the Oz production at The Bethany Home in Jackson.  We got there and greeted people from the care facility as they came or were brought into the gymnasium area for the mini-concert.  They didn't have a CD player at the facility, so I volunteered Brad to run down to our church since it's just a mile down the road to grab one and he was instantly the TECH CREW :)  Sometimes, he is soooo happy I am his wife and get him into these things.  I sat up front by him for moral support....it was my "peace offering" for volunteering him. That's kind-of a funny peace offering, though...the person who has just annoyed you, deciding to sit close to you...ha! Oh well!

The kids did a great job in a more informal setting sharing their talents with the residents and greeting them.  It is in those moments where it seems the situation hits my emotions with more force.  Anyway, it was like I was at a tennis match from my seat at the side of the room...I could see the kids performing and I could watch the residents respond to it back and forth and back and forth....some of the ladies in the group became a little emotional and then it seemed it all went into slow motion for me... special moments do that to me a lot and then stuff went totally blurry once Emma (Dorothy) started singing "I'm Going Home".....(why is it raining in here...weird? :)

 
Floods of thoughts and emotions hit me as I watched all these beautiful kids and wonderful folks who have lived such full lives.  It's awesome that spirits never age....in some ways when I looked at both groups I could see similar spirits.  I thought, "this is a beautiful moment!"....I guess it was an extra mile moment...joy in the adventure of doing something extra special ....a moment where the kids went above and beyond to bring something meaningful and happy to the people at the care facility.  It felt like torrential love from my perspective as I watched the people thoroughly enjoying it all and tried to hold back my tears.  The only part of my personality that is extroverted is my feeling part...I always pick up on all the emotional energy in a room so, it just goes all crazy sometimes and holding back tears is about impossible for me.   I was thinking, "maybe if I just keep smiling the kids won't notice I am starting to cry over here...but, that's doubtful...I am still working on being a pretty crier, but I have a long way to go :).