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What Holds You Back?
Pulling out my own personal bulldozer.
Hitting The High Notes, Hiding From Bullies
“That’s a very narrow range,” our choir director mused politely. “I’ve heard you in the group. When you hit the high notes, all the other sopranos open up and sing with you. But now, when I pull you out for a private lesson, you clam up. What’s going on?”
I said nothing and just hung my head. Once again, I disappointed someone. It seemed I was always doing that.
I was a high school freshman and had sneaked into choir that first year. One of the benefits of being from a large family is, no one knew exactly what classes I was taking. No one cared.
I didn’t dare tell anyone I liked to sing. Singing was something I did on long bike rides up into the hills, far away from anyone who could hear.
Third Oldest Brother had strictly forbidden me to practice piano.
“It’s my turn,” he’d grin, languidly running his fingers up and down the keyboard. It was always “his turn” anytime I needed to practice.
“Work it out yourselves,” Mother responded impatiently. “That’s not my problem.”
With eight children, the older ones were expected to raise and control the younger ones. Mother and Dad both worked full-time; they…
