In the Spotlight

It was a big week for Anders.   Two opportunities to show off the fruits of his labors.  One was a district orchestra performance, featuring strings players from grades 4 through 12. Of course the complexity of the pieces increased with the grade levels, starting with Hot Cross Buns, Twinkle, Twinkle  and ending with Rhapsody on a Theme.   Grades 6 through 12 all wore the customary black and white, while the 4th and 5th graders wore their finest - whatever that was.  Anders looked smashing in his black jeans, denim shirt, and brown leather belt with his brand new silver buckle hand made by his Morfar.   This wasn't visible to anyone else though, because no one could see him!  Two hundred kids were smashed up on the stage and he was hidden, tucked back in a corner behind a crowd of shorter students.  I barely saw the top of his blonde head.  I don't think not being seen bothered him at all.   It was me that had to wrestle with my disappointment about his placement on the stage.     

The second event was the school Variety Show.   Anyone could get up and perform and about forty students were brave enough to do so.  I've written about this before - Anders is not someone who likes to get up in front of large crowds -  yet as someone who knows him best, I also know that he can blossom when he is "seen."  A bit of a dilemma for a young child.  This year he created a film with his friend, Zoe.  It was titled The Animorpher.   They wrote the script together for a different earlier project and used it to create a video for the talent show.   It took hours to film, and even more to edit - but it was brilliantly funny and was a smart way to get up in front of a large audience without having to get up in front of a large audience.   I like that sort of problem solving!

I know the most important element of these public events is the internal experience Anders has.  How did he feel about them?  That's the key ingredient.  He told me he was slightly nervous, proud, and in his own words, "I liked it."

I liked it too.   And if you click below you can see his first film. 

 The Animorpher