Word in Edgeways

A musical evening

We are on vacation in California at the moment, sitting out a heat wave in a shaded garden. Our children launch themselves again and again into the swimming pool; the neighbor’s children come to join them, and a few hours pass amiably by. There is little else to do than sit, eat, drink and get wet.

The crowd was swelled today by cousins and an aunt. The cousins, at grandma’s request, brought their musical instruments, and at around 7:30 in the evening, everyone adjourned to the house next door for an impromptu children’s recital. The program was an eclectic one that ran the gamut from Bach and Mozart to “Hoedown” for beginning violin. I cannot speak for the children in question, but the adults enjoyed the performances immensely, and quite in excess of their objective quality. Happily, most parents will endure – and enjoy – their children’s musical or theatrical performances, but not just for the simple reason that they’ll watch their kids doing anything; the pleasure comes from seeing one’s child taking on a role, or playing an instrument, or singing a song, on their own account, temporarily unaided and unprompted by any adult. In their performances, no matter how reluctant they are to do them, children begin to take possession of themselves.

We walked the few paces home under a dark, cool sky, patched with stars and clouds. The neighbor’s door closed behind us on the sounds of boys calling and chasing and running, set free from themselves, to be children again.

posted by Sylvie @ 11:48 PM