At the Choral Concert

The high school kids are so beautiful in their lavender blouses and crisp white shirts. They open their mouths to sing with that far-off stare they had looking out from the crib. Their voices lift up from the marble bed of the high altar to the blue endless ceiling of heaven as depicted in the cloudy dome— and we—as the parents—crane our necks to see our children and what is above us— and ahead of us—until the end when we are invited up to sing with them—sopranos and altos—tenors and basses—to sing the great Hallelujah Chorus—and I’m standing with the other stunned and gray fathers—holding our sheet music— searching for our parts—and we realize— our voices are surprisingly rich—experienced— For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth— and how do we all know to come in at exactly the right moment?—Forever and ever— and how can it not seem that we shall reign forever and ever—in one voice with our beautiful children—looking out into all those lights.