What an evening. Performance time for the choir of children I've been working with, the result of so much hard work by people involved with the local council's foster services and of course the shining stars that are the children themselves.
I tell you what; these children are without doubt some of the strongest, bravest and most inspirational young people that I have come across. They put their nerves aside, their feelings of perceived inadequacy or shyness; they resisted being stubborn, cocky or giggly; they learned their words, they looked into the faces of the crowd, and they used their own personal stories and experiences to enhance their performance. They rapped about life in care, in their own words. They danced, whilst singing about body image issues. They twirled batons, sang a cappella, dedicated songs to friends and family, and supported each other. They smiled at me from the stage, followed my lead and were pleased - at times ecstatic - with their achievements.
I was so incredibly proud of all of them, every single one. They played an absolute blinder, and music reigned supreme, weaving its magic yet again. I was up on my feet by the end, clapping, dancing and laughing with the children as they owned the stage. Two weeks ago they were mumbling to their shoes, and tonight they threw it out there with verve and gusto. I can't tell you how much I loved my job tonight. What a fantastic, heart-rending and humbling experience I've had.
God bless those children, and the people who look after them. Simply wonderful.
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