Children painted their perfect day.
Monday was such a magnificent gift!!! Whenever I can, I volunteer teaching art with drawchange at a local homeless shelter. Jennie Lobato, the founder of drawchange asked me to bring my guitar and play background music while the kids painted. After the children finished their project, they were invited to come visit me and see my guitar.
One by one the children would stand beside me and watch. Then a child asked if they could touch the strings. I put my pick in his hand and taught him how to strum. He was just completely intrigued!!! After he got the hang it, I started changing the chords and told him to keep on strumming. Another little boy standing next to us awaiting his turn about had his eyes pop out of his head!!! It was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
Experiencing strumming for the first time.
THEN I started singing “Stand By Me.” The little boy strumming just stared deep into my eyes with such joy, wonder,and awe at what HE was MAKING happen!!! He looked at me with those sweet eyes, as if he were asking me how this miracle was happening. I then taught the others how to strum and did the same routine. For the rest of my life I will cherish this gift.
To be able to show a child that he or she can make music and watch each child experience music’s magic for the first time is just impossible to put into words!!! I wanted to give every kid in that homeless shelter a guitar!!! In this life I am POSITIVE about one thing…… The best music of life is when we WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE IT!!! Each of us a representing a different note but collectively creating the greatest concerto ever written when all played together!!! Today I definitely felt the magic of Tchaikovsky or Ligeti through all these incredible children!!! It made me thankful to be alive and thankful that we have organizations like drawchange that want to grace EVERY child with the ability to imagine something great, and have the opportunity to see it become a reality!!!
Future Rock Star!!! And he was so sweet and patient with the others to boot!!!
The art work the children created today will be on display soon at the Phoenix and Dragon at 5531 Roswell Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30342. If you want to volunteer with drawchange ,check them out at www.drawchange.org . In the next few weeks I am going to write a song with the kids and will post it!!! Can’t even wait to hear their sweet voices singing!!!
Thanks for visiting me at www.alexisvear.com!!!
