Curtain Call

One of the things I've always longed for is musical talent, and it's one part of my creative brain that, well, is pretty much nonexistent. Mom insisted that I take piano lessons when I was young, but it didn't take long for the teacher to realize that piano wasn't my strength. Then I tried the guitar ... not too good at that either. I can play a relatively decent conga drum, but that's about it in the music department for me. I can't sing or dance either ... I'm just not musically inclined. But my three children ... now that's a different story altogether.

All three of my kiddos possess an abundance of musical talent, each one of them gifted in their own right. Meghann has a beautiful voice, and my sons both play a mean guitar. Matt, however, is the only one of the three of them who spent a few years playing the viola in the local youth symphony. He became involved in symphony classes in elementary school, and because of the encouragement of a wonderful teacher, Matt became quite a gifted viola player. I enjoyed the choir concerts and musicals that all three kids participated in, but I truly loved the symphony concerts. It always amazed me that those were kids playing ... their talent was absolutely amazing, and I would often close my eyes as I listened to them play.

Tonight one of our local news stations aired a story about the Kansas City Symphony's final concert that will take place in the venue where they have played for many years. The symphony isn't disbanding; they are moving to a new, bigger better building and will continue to fill Kansas City with their beautiful music. The story was titled "Curtain Call," and as I watched, I couldn't help but remember Matt's final symphony concert and the tears that filled my eyes as the seniors in the group took the last bow of their high school careers. Several of those kids went on to major in music in college and to play in symphonies across the nation. Some of them are now teachers or attorneys or business people, and Matt will soon complete his Ph.D. in marriage and family therapy. To those kids, their final symphony curtain call in high school was only the beginning of the rest of their lives.

As I cooked dinner tonight, I couldn't get the curtain call idea ... both the final show of the Kansas City Symphony at the place they have come to know so well, and the last performance of the youth symphony that Matt was a member of ... out of my mind. And I couldn't help but think about the fact that one day we will all have a final curtain call, a day when God will say, "You're done, child, you're done. You've participated in your last earthly performance." And I couldn't help but think about heaven ... a new, bigger better place ... the beginning of eternity.

I'm going to head out for a walk ... I think I'll listen to a bit of symphony music tonight and spend some time with the Conductor of the universe.