Something That Has Been Bothering Me...

There is something that has been bothering me for quite a while. On "question day" a student asked me something that was very surprising to me. He asked if I was mad about the results at state competition. I was kind of stunned for a moment but then answered. I was certainly disappointed with the results. I mean we were cooking with gas going into lower state and that was certainly our best performance. I was really happy that we had another chance to do even better the next week but something was off that week. We completely broke down the Thursday before state and yes I thought about just giving up and taking what we had to state but then something happened that I will always remember. It rained all day on Friday. It rained really hard and I wondered if we would even get to practice and thought I might as well call off practice for that day but I could tell by the students eyes and actions that I couldn't give up. They kept me going. It quit raining at about 3:00 p.m. Not one student left school that day. I told only 3 students that if they wanted to rehearse in the mud I would do it. In about 10 minutes every student was on the field ready to go. I came out like a bat out of hell that day. Then my assistants came. I told them they did not need to be there that day but one said if you are here we are too. I worked the band like only I could. I stayed on the field all rehearsal except for one run though. I was possessed that day and I am sure many would agree but something happened for me that day too. One student was looking at me and smiling. I couldn't believe it. I looked at him and said "You didn't think I would give up did you?" His reply was something I will never forget. He smiled and said, while standing at attention..."NEVER." Thanks Lee! So was I mad about our results at state...NEVER. It was our best and I will never forget our first run at AAA state but I know we have more to offer in the future. That day at rehearsal showed me that the power of many can always overcome the power of one. I have always learned more from my failures than I ever have from my successes. We should have won in my opinion but did not. But what we did do was something that so many may never achieve, we held ourselves like winners and I am sure that we were once again the band that all looked at for that and perhaps even respected us for it as well. That day was one of my best days as a band director. Not one student acted out in disappointment. Not one student come up to me and said it was too hard. Not one student said I quit. We were still all together and that made all the difference in the world to me. We may not have won state that day but we did something that I will always remember.