Little Girl No Longer

[Original Post 4/26/05]

Transitions. Life is full of them. Last night, this father witnessed the approach of another.

The Century Concert Choir held their spring concert the evening of April 25. It is the final local concert for my daughter, Sarah, as a high school student. In five weeks, she will graduate, and then head off to college. Seeing her perform with the group to which she has devoted so much time, energy and passion over the past three years would have been moving enough, but last night went beyond that.

The concert was set up in two segments. In the first, the Concert Choir sang five pieces. They performed with excellence, as usual. Sarah had a solo in one, and another was the F. Melius Christiansen version of “Beautiful Savior” which had been the traditional alumni song at the Decorah High School Christmas concert when I was in that choir. The second segment was for “Senior Recitals” – choir members who will be graduating performed alone or in groups, showcasing their individual musical gifts. It was during this portion of the program that my “little girl” served notice that she is, indeed, growing up.

Sarah and her boyfriend Vang reached center stage to perform the sixth piece in the Senior Recital program. They locked hands, half facing each other, and half facing the audience, and sang a duet – a love song – with such feeling that it was clear to everyone in the audience that this was no mere performance. If anyone attending did not know that the two of them were a “couple” before the song, I’m sure they were convinced by hearing these two. Their voices blended perfectly. At times, Sarah was on melody, in her pure soprano voice. At other times, Vang’s tenor took the lead and Sarah dropped into an alto sub-harmony. Smiling, expressive, dynamic, and moving, the two delivered the highlight of the evening.

Here she was, my little Sarah, announcing to the world, to her friends, and to me, that she is growing up, moving on, and will soon be emerging as a young woman who is ready to explore the full passion of life, to break away from the comforts of her childhood home and make a new place, her own place, in the world.

Welcome to the rest of your life, Sarah. You are ready. God bless.