Finding Harmony in Life Not Just Singing Competitions

I don’t know when it happened, but somewhere along the line, I turned into a real sap. I think it was right around the time I gave birth to my first child… but who can say for sure?

It has only gotten worse. Recently, I found myself crying over an America’s Got Talent audition. Now, I don’t love that show, but Sophia does, so inevitably, I catch an episode or two. This particular episode featured a group called the Angel City Chorale. I watched this 150+ strong group of singers line up on stage and I got excited. I love a good chorale.

As soon as the first line of Africa was sung, my eyes were wet. My daughter looked at me like I was crazy.

“Um, Mom?  Are you crying?”

“SHHHHHH!” I couldn’t be distracted.

We were quiet for the rest of the song, tears were literally rolling down my cheeks, and when they finished, I actually clapped my hands.

There is just something so beautiful about people singing together.

Especially now. I saw this as a teachable moment.

Now, I was raised in a home where we didn’t “talk politics.” My parents were old-fashioned in that they didn’t believe that politics was polite dinner table conversation. They mostly kept it to themselves, and I thought that was just how it was.

Obviously, things change. Over the years, people became more and more vocal, more and more divided, and they struggled to find any kind of common ground.

Now it seems like people don’t even look for common ground. It is You vs. Me. – Us vs. Them

You’re either with us or against us.

But there are 160 people on that stage. They all have different careers. They are different races and ages. They have different religious beliefs and political beliefs. And yet the choir director called them a family, and there they were – together – doing something that they all loved to do and making beautiful harmonies.

Harmony. What a concept.

And their faces were so full of joy. Like real, eyes-smiling joy. I felt it too, and it was such an incredible reminder that we all have SOMETHING in common and that if we choose to focus on the things that unite us rather than divide us, we will all be so much happier. Maybe we could focus on finding harmony in life and not just singing competitions?

I don’t know how much of this hit home with my eight-year-old. Try as I might, I know that she still lives a very sheltered life. But hopefully, all of these small little talks will stick, so that she always looks to find common ground with those people who look/pray/believe differently than she does.

Also, if anyone wants to start a Cigar City Chorale. I promise not to cry.