Last night, as we finished our last TYM class of the semester, my daughter rehearsed for her first performance ever.  My husband accompanied Mira for her chorus’s sound check and rehearsal in the downtown park.

As soon as I could leave things to my assistant, my son and I rushed into a taxi.  We headed down Broadway to see our girl perform Christmas carols and Chanukah songs in the rain.

Liev and I heard them before we saw them, and then we saw Mira and her friends’ red tinsel headbands bouncing bright flashes of light off the sidewalk.  There she was, that small person who had awakened that very morning looking worried and talking about the butterflies in her tummy.

For a whole song, she was completely unaware of our presence.  When she finally saw that we were there, her whole body changed.  She visibly relaxed, and a huge smile opened on her little face.  Her singing took on more joy.  Her whole family was there together.  She made it through her first performance.

The big tree was lit, looking even more beautiful in the shimmery sprinkling rain.  Our holiday season is officially here.  How did you/will you kick it off?

The World takes on the Rain: