Without any preparation or much forewarning, I ended up on stage earlier this year at an evening rock concert before an audience of middle and high school students and their families. I was front and center with several musician colleagues of mine, singing and playing the tambourine and having so much fun!
After that weekend, my middle school students were happy to report in class that I was “so good” and asked me to look at a video of clips from the concert because I was on there.
A knot in my belly. Did I look ok? Was I good enough? Yikes.
I said to the girls who surrounded my desk before I hit play on the video, “Tell me to be brave. I am afraid to see what I look like.”
“Oh, you were good! You looked good! Be brave!” they chorused.
And we watched and I did look just fine, mainly because I was having such a good time.
“Get out in front where you can be seen,” my science teacher friend had said that evening when he saw me at the back of the stage trying to hide behind some of the others. You see, it was the kids who kept asking me all day if I would play for the teacher number at the concert, and I was up there for them. But also for myself as that little performance presented a big lesson.
No need to hide. Be brave. Be you. Have fun.
This kicks off my blog and my website and my getting out in front where I can be seen.
It’s a little scary.
Tell me to be brave.
I plan to be myself and have fun!
Won’t you join me?