Last night Katie had County Band try-outs. She was so nervous. As many of you know, this young lady is a perfectionist. It has to be done right and perfectly and if it is not, well, then it's not good enough. So, she had it in her mind and on her heart that she had to get the coveted first clarinet, first chair.
While she was at try-outs she noticed a young 7th grade man in the corner and he appeared nervous. She put aside her own nervousness and her own concentration on the try-outs and approached the young man. In so doing she discovered that he had practiced and had in hand the wrong music. So she quickly briefed him on the correct music and helped him learn it the best he could in an abbreviated time frame. In addition, to the incorrect music, she also discovered that a portion of his Clarinet was broken. Did she walk away and say, "Too bad for you, dude."? Nope, in true Katelin fashion she let him borrow the portion of her Clarinet to remedy the problem.
So, how did Katelin do at the try-outs? She made second Clarinet (I think) and she does not remember what chair. She was so dissappointed in what she deemed a " bad night". I couldn't have been more proud of her. To me, it truly doesn't matter if she was declared "the best Clarinetist of all time", she was a bigger winner to me because she saw beyond herself and helped out a person in need. And I am sure that young man will remember that moment for years to come. It makes me step back and examine my own life and see if I am looking beyond msyelf to others who may be in need with a broken clarinet, playing the wrong music. The lessons we learn from our kids can be invaluable.
I love you, Katie! You are young lady of GREAT character!!!!
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