Over the weekend we took the older two girls to see an ice skating show here in town. This was a benefit event hosted by Scott Hamilton to raise money for cancer research. A group of world-class skaters, including Katereena Gordeeva and Paul Wylie ~ the big names I recognized from the Winter Olympics of my childhood, took turns skating individually and as a group to music performed by Michael W. Smith. The combination of athleticism and grace with live music and orchestration was unbelievable. I have always enjoyed watching the figure skating finals during the Olympics, but I’m not a die-hard fan of the sport. Seeing these men and women, though, many of whom are in their forties and even early fifties, flail their bodies through the air and perform twists, turns, and stunts on the ice I could never perform on dry land, was truly something to behold.
As a side note… The 3rd Grader whispered to me as we walked in and saw the stage set up, “Is Adele here?” Sadly, I had to break the news to her that Adele would not be taking the stage that evening. But, I spent several minutes trying to convince her that Michael W. Smith was just as significant a musical influence in my adolescent years as Adele may prove to be in hers. She was unconvinced but seemed to enjoy the show none the less.
When the 3rd Grader was born, we inadvertently stopped paying attention to ads for upcoming concerts, plays, and cultural events. For the past nine years, our arts and cultural experiences {unless you count a handful of visits to area children’s museums} have been few and far between ~ by our own doing. Sure, we’ve been to Disney on Ice, animated movies, and attended plenty of field trips. But, for the most part, our evenings and weekends nowadays are usually spent going to kid’s practices, sporting events, and birthday parties. Those activities have their place, but they’re certainly a different sort of entertainment.
Obviously I don’t leave an ice skating show wanting to go become a competitive ice skater myself. I believe that ship has sailed. But, I do leave with a sense of awe over the level of greatness these individuals have attained in their field. It’s enlivening to see the fruits of years of dedication, determination, and practice come together in the form of a piece or a performance.
I mean, wearing blades on your feet and moving around on the ice at all is hard. So hard that sometimes it requires a walker.
So, a little ice skating show has led me to start thinking about how we can bring inspiration back into our lives sooner than later. I want my kids to know what greatness looks like, sounds like, and tastes like if for no other reason than that I want them to feel the awe of having their minds and worlds broadened by the beauty of human ability and performance. I’m not talking about jet setting all over the country to exotic places and spending exorbitant amounts of money on “experiences.” I mean starting locally, I want to expose them to music and the arts in the form of plays, concerts, exhibits, etc. For the 3rd grader, it may be going to a ballet or seeing a live cooking demonstration. For the 1st Grader, it might be seeing a great pianist play. And, for the Preschooler, it’s probably witnessing some combination of acrobatics and slapstick comedy.
But, I want to think about ways to bring it back into our adult lives, too, which begins with asking myself ~ ourselves ~ what makes us come alive? Then, we need to be more intentional about planning ahead, getting a sitter, and making it happen. In the same way we look for ways to be productive every day, surely it’s healthy to look for ways to be inspired every month, or at least every quarter. Maybe that’s a rock concert or a bluegrass festival. Maybe it’s going to a professional football/basketball/hockey game. Maybe it’s a cooking class or an afternoon at an art museum. Maybe it’s going to a play or attending a conference in our field. Whatever it is, I’m starting to think it’s important to do it ever so often ~ just to remember what inspiration feels like ~ even in a life stage where it may not seem all that practical.
And maybe someday, whether that be next year or in the next ten years, the 3rd Grader will walk into an arena and whisper excitedly, “Is Adele here?,” and I’ll get to whisper back, “Yes. Yes, she is.”
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