Voice of an Angel

I was not born with much in the way of music talent.

I can’t carry a tune to save my life and have never had the motivation to become proficient with an instrument.

Luckily, that inability doesn’t run in the family.

I’ve long known that our oldest daughter, Rachel, did have a naturally endowed knack for music. Going all the back to her toddler years, she has had a wonderful voice and an innate ability to sing in tune and on key. But, though I’ve known this, I had never really heard her let loose with her instrument, to truly put her heart and soul into a singing performance.

Then I saw her last night.

We had known for some time that her music teacher had chosen her for a solo part, the character of “Heather Holiday,” in the 4th grade Christmas program, but she was always reticent to sing her piece in front of me. That being the case, I must admit to being a bit concerned, wondering if she was proctrastinating (which she has been known to do) and not doing what she should, but I didn’t push very hard, just asking her in a half-joking manner if she would sing for me. She would just smile shyly and decline.

Yesterday evening we filed into the school gym and found seats among the bleachers, facing the holiday decorated set below us. My mom had driven over for the show from Arkansas and soon after the program started Mother Clelie, our curate at church, joined us as well.

Rachel was resplendent and beautiful, dressed in a homemade Christmas dress and wearing a tiara, looking much older and more mature than her nine years. The program progressed as most school programs do, with group songs and speaking parts, all of which centered around a story dealing with the holiday season. Then, about 2/3 of the way through the show, the big moment arrived. Rachel stepped to the microphone, poised and confident, took and deep breath and began to sing.

All of a sudden the clouds parted and the gate to heaven itself was opened, the voice of an angel filling the cavernous gymnasium. With mouth open wide and tears streaming down my face, I tried to hold my iPhone steady and capture these beautiful two minutes.

Needless to say, I am a proud dad.

You can see the video here.

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