There was a commotion, in the ocean,....apparently.

So, today Seth had a school play. For some unexplained reason, that I have yet to discover, I dread these things, every time, when I know I am expected to go and watch a school play, I feel all toddlery inside and want to stomp my feet and whine about how I don't want toooooooooo.
When I am told that this torture is to happen in the EVENING...sometimes, the toddler escapes and sneaks out for the world to see.
Tonight though, toddler was safely caged and mummy enthusiastic was in top form. Off we went, my 4th child and I. Early of course because actors must prepare and he had a coat to put on and everything.
The play was called Ocean commotion and was all about dolphins who swam around the world to see what damage was being done by humans.
I sat in a great seat, in the school hall, which was pleasantly warm, with an open window, for a glorious and welcome breeze.
It was shortly after dinner ( lamb shanks in gravy, roasted parsnips and broccoli) a time when usually I am relaxing and beginning to unwind. Today has been a busy day with much rushing and doing of things, oh how lovely to be in the hall in time to settle and relax.
I watched the hall fill up and was happy that I was there good and early, I hate getting there and having to sit right at the back, or even worse stand and get leg ache while I wait for my child to say their 3 words very quietly, so that I can watch the lips move, but not actually hear anything.
Hmmmm, warm, cosy and dim lighting, splendid occasional breeze and then, what's that? Ahhh, lovely ocean sounds, rolling waves and sort of dolphin-y whale-y sounds with some relaxing music thrown in.
Can you imagine what I could tell you I did? Well I almost did, it would have been so easy to nod off, to drift away but I stayed awake! The whole time!
As I said, every time I dread these things, I drag my feet and imagine what else I could be doing...then, every time something miraculous happens, without fail.
The first child sings....or they all sing. I am lost immediately. This evening's show was no different except for the level of magic.
Seth hates singing, he doesn't get it, it hurts him. As a baby, from so tiny, if I would sing ( and everyone that knows me, knows that I sing, all the time, about everything, life is a song) Seth's face would crumple and he would say " STOP SINNIN!" This evening, as he was getting ready to leave, which meant stopping basketball and leaving what he loves, he was saying things like
" It's not like I even want to be an actor is it? Today even we didn't get P.E just more rehearsing and MORE singing and NO P.E" and I felt for him because this is not fun for him.
When we got to school he was animated and shouting welcomes to his friends, he'd told me that he didn't need a costume because he used his friends coat which had a furry hood so he looked like an Eskimo and that was OK. I said that just to humour me, we would take a spare that would make him look just as authentic, you know, just in case kind friend didn't bring his fur lined coat, on this smashingly sunny evening.
Seth liked me a whole lot when his friend said " Seth! Hello! Do you want to borrow my coat now?"
"yes please"
"Oh, I didn't bring it!"
See, sometimes mothers know best.
They sang, in that way children do, with all the enthusiasm of people unspoiled by mundane things like gas bills and the weight of the world on their shoulders. Heads high and shoulders pulled back, they sang with those magnificent shouting voices and I felt it all begin. My scalp tightened until I felt my eyebrows lift, my arms tingled, I got the lump in my throat and I was so carried away by these little people, my life was transformed for that hour and 45 minutes.
Every now and then I would look back at the director, who standing at the back of the hall on a stool, mouthed the words, conducted the music, grinned and boosted and lifted those little people as they performed.
I saw my boy, who is so much smaller than most of the other kids ( but taller, much taller than beautiful Mabel who makes Seth look tall and grown up!) I saw him feel the atmosphere.....




The costumes were so simple, but they were incredible and the children loved them we loved them..my favourite had to be the jelly fish, with her lampshade head....



My tiny Eskimo.....



and when he said his words...he said them with all he had!



I took a lot of pictures, most of them with my heart. I sort of like forgetting what school plays do for me, it's always such a thrill when I remember and the joy is so much more exquisite because I forget it is coming.
For those 2 hours I was reminded just how much this life has to offer us if we take the time to grasp it. A little boy in a winter coat, who after the play said " actually I REALLY enjoyed that, it was good....now I know why we had to keep practising, because that worked, didn't it mum?" and it did. It really worked.

When we were done, we went for ice cream, because it is the law, especially when singing hurts your ears and there was so much of it...when you join in and sing just as loudly. And if, when you think your mum isn't watching, you dance, because you are so lifted up by music...well you get a flake in your ice cream and no question about it.