Crow’s Feet Writing Prompt #58
The Joy of Singing Together
What singing in the choir taught me about music, strength, friendship, acceptance, and community
I first realized what it meant to sing with a group in third grade when I joined the church choir. I didn’t know what I was doing at first. I’d only sung in school productions at the holidays and the end of the year. Harmony didn’t exist. The music teacher handed us mimeographs of the lyrics. Come performance time, we’d belt out the lyrics as best we could. Inevitably, a few off-key voices would ring above the rest.
In choir, we had actual sheet music with notes and words. In practice, we’d start with warm-ups: “La la la la la la la. No no no no no no no.” We’d go a little higher each time and then come back down. Our voices sang in unison, and I could feel my chest vibrate as I sang each note. The sounds of our voices, airy and clean, echoed off the walls of the practice room.
Once or twice a year, we put on black and white robes and sang a whole song in church. We always walked in behind the adult choir, also decked out in black and white robes. I’d look for my dad, who sang in the adult choir, in the procession. He always looked focused and serious. I never waved. We were “working.” I felt big and important.
