The Truth about Singing
One of my most cherished memories of little Caleb (I say little because that's the way I remember him before he got all tall and skinny on me) is one of him singing. He has the most beautiful, boy soprano voice. I remember once when we were in church while living in England (he was three at the time), Jake was up on the stand with the bishopric when there was a rest hymn. We were all asked to stand and sing "I Am a Child of God", when Caleb exclaimed in delight, "Hey! I KNOW this one!".
When the music started and the congregation began to sing, that sweet little boy sang the precious words to that hymn with his full voice and heart. "I am a child of God, and He has sent me here! Has given me an earthly home, with parents kind and dear..." Everyone standing near us could hear his clear, pure voice above the rest and turned to smile at us. My heart burst with the Spirit and gratitude in my soul for that most beautiful, innocent child who loved God and knew who that he was His son. Tears jumped to my eyes and it was all I could do to crack my way through the rest of the lyrics. What a choice memory!
Since that time, I have LOVED hearing Caleb sing. He has a good ear for pitch and a strong tone to his voice. I liked to think that he also enjoyed singing the way that I do, especially when he asked me to teach him "Angels We Have Heard on High" at Christmas time a couple years back, so that we could try harmonizing together. It filled my mother heart to sing with him.
Sadly, I began to notice a decline in his participation in Singing Time during Primary at church over these last months - maybe even the last year or so since I was released as the Primary chorister in our ward and put in as President. Taking a back seat during Singing Time, I was noticing more and more that Caleb as hardly singing, if at all! In fact, many of the other Senior Primary boys were not singing, and if they were they were using an absolutely ridiculous mock-low voice. What had happened to my wonderful singer!? Tonight the truth finally came out.
I was tucking the boys into bed, and it was Caleb's turn. We talked about his day, how he'd been a good friend that day, good and hard things that had gone on. Then, I asked him what song he wanted to sing (I usually sing them the song of their choice). However this time, I felt prompted to tell him that I wanted him to choose a song that we could sing together. I then felt compelled to take it one step further and tell him about that experience of singing "I Am a Child of God" with me and how much I missed hearing him sing or having him sing with me. That was when the dam burst. He burst into tears and confessed that he had been feeling embarrassed and stupid because of his "high voice". Bless his heart! It sounded like the other boys were also self-conscious about their young boy voices and that he had been teased in the past for singing.
I explained to him that some of the most famous singers and choirs in the world were young boys, who had the most amazing soprano voices - just the way Heavenly Father made them to be. I thought of the Vienna Boys' Choir and the Kings' College Boys' Choir. Both world famous, exclusive choirs! I told him that he had a fantastic voice and a great talent, and that he shouldn't let what other ignorant people say stop him from enjoying it. They are the idiots. Their voices will change for real one day - but for now, this is the voice that they were given by God and they need to be grateful for them. Singing lightens the heart and brings the Spirit to us. Singing may not be for everyone, and that's OK - but for those who enjoy it, I say sing on!
My prayer is that my boy will not give up on himself or on music. I want more than anything for him to foster a love for it and to magnify his talents. They will bring him joy. They will bring Heavenly Father joy. They will bring me joy. My heart aches for his pained heart.
When the music started and the congregation began to sing, that sweet little boy sang the precious words to that hymn with his full voice and heart. "I am a child of God, and He has sent me here! Has given me an earthly home, with parents kind and dear..." Everyone standing near us could hear his clear, pure voice above the rest and turned to smile at us. My heart burst with the Spirit and gratitude in my soul for that most beautiful, innocent child who loved God and knew who that he was His son. Tears jumped to my eyes and it was all I could do to crack my way through the rest of the lyrics. What a choice memory!
Since that time, I have LOVED hearing Caleb sing. He has a good ear for pitch and a strong tone to his voice. I liked to think that he also enjoyed singing the way that I do, especially when he asked me to teach him "Angels We Have Heard on High" at Christmas time a couple years back, so that we could try harmonizing together. It filled my mother heart to sing with him.
Sadly, I began to notice a decline in his participation in Singing Time during Primary at church over these last months - maybe even the last year or so since I was released as the Primary chorister in our ward and put in as President. Taking a back seat during Singing Time, I was noticing more and more that Caleb as hardly singing, if at all! In fact, many of the other Senior Primary boys were not singing, and if they were they were using an absolutely ridiculous mock-low voice. What had happened to my wonderful singer!? Tonight the truth finally came out.
I was tucking the boys into bed, and it was Caleb's turn. We talked about his day, how he'd been a good friend that day, good and hard things that had gone on. Then, I asked him what song he wanted to sing (I usually sing them the song of their choice). However this time, I felt prompted to tell him that I wanted him to choose a song that we could sing together. I then felt compelled to take it one step further and tell him about that experience of singing "I Am a Child of God" with me and how much I missed hearing him sing or having him sing with me. That was when the dam burst. He burst into tears and confessed that he had been feeling embarrassed and stupid because of his "high voice". Bless his heart! It sounded like the other boys were also self-conscious about their young boy voices and that he had been teased in the past for singing.
I explained to him that some of the most famous singers and choirs in the world were young boys, who had the most amazing soprano voices - just the way Heavenly Father made them to be. I thought of the Vienna Boys' Choir and the Kings' College Boys' Choir. Both world famous, exclusive choirs! I told him that he had a fantastic voice and a great talent, and that he shouldn't let what other ignorant people say stop him from enjoying it. They are the idiots. Their voices will change for real one day - but for now, this is the voice that they were given by God and they need to be grateful for them. Singing lightens the heart and brings the Spirit to us. Singing may not be for everyone, and that's OK - but for those who enjoy it, I say sing on!
My prayer is that my boy will not give up on himself or on music. I want more than anything for him to foster a love for it and to magnify his talents. They will bring him joy. They will bring Heavenly Father joy. They will bring me joy. My heart aches for his pained heart.
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