When trying to have a conversation with little children, often adults will ask "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
The answers are usually creative, like "a baseball player" or "a princess." Of course, young children don't have enough life experiences to know what they really will want to do or be when they grow up. But maybe some do.
The answers are usually creative, like "a baseball player" or "a princess." Of course, young children don't have enough life experiences to know what they really will want to do or be when they grow up. But maybe some do.
When I was in 3rd grade, my teacher asked the class to write what they would like to be when they grew up. I still have that little paper. I wrote, "I like to sing, so I want to be a singer. And I like to play the piano, so I want to be a pianoist. I like to draw, so I want to be an artist. I like to dance, so I want to be a ballerina. And my teacher says I write nice poems, so I want to be a poemist. I know I need to be a wife and mother, but I'm not sure how I can make all of this work in my life."
My teacher wrote back a nice little note encouraging me to maybe pick just one thing to focus on.
My teacher wrote back a nice little note encouraging me to maybe pick just one thing to focus on.
But little me kept singing, drawing, dancing, and playing the piano. I even kept writing little songs using my fondness for rhyme. All through school I kept having opportunities to perform. It helped that my mom was so talented that she made me look good and helped me learn a lot of songs.
You might say that I grew up instilled with a lot of confidence in my abilities. I basically had no stage fright. If someone asked me to sing or entertain, I just did.
You might say that I grew up instilled with a lot of confidence in my abilities. I basically had no stage fright. If someone asked me to sing or entertain, I just did.
In 8th grade our math class straddled the lunch period. During the winters when it was cold, we just hung out in the math classroom after lunch. There were a couple of guys who decided that we should do a talent show every lunch break. Those guys were funny and liked to tell jokes and banter being the M.C's. Other kids would show their artwork, or do magic tricks, or demonstrate sports moves. But whenever there was a lull, one of the M.C's would just announce, "Now Betsy will sing us a song." I sang practically every day.
Maybe my teacher didn't understand how much I understood what my God-given talents were already back in 3rd grade. But apparently, I did. I guess if you are on stage practically from birth, you don't know anything else.
Yesterday, I was asked to play one of the Olympics themes for a meeting of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. Our guest speaker had just competed in the 2024 Paralympics in Paris. I chose to play "The Call of the Champions" written by John Williams and performed by the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square. I asked the ladies to shout "Citius, altius, fortius" along with the choir. Then I felt like I had to provide entertainment as we listened (mostly to the orchestra), so I sort of directed the air as we listened and brought the ladies in on cue for the three word chant.
Little did I expect that they would thank me for playing that wonderful song and being so entertaining to watch. They said that it was so fun to watch someone who had the talents that no one else in that group had and made it look so fun!
So there, Mrs. Bunton. I am doing all of those things I listed in 3rd Grade. Singer, artist, dancer, pianoist and poemist. And I'm a wife, a mother, and a grandmother, too.
Maybe my teacher didn't understand how much I understood what my God-given talents were already back in 3rd grade. But apparently, I did. I guess if you are on stage practically from birth, you don't know anything else.
Yesterday, I was asked to play one of the Olympics themes for a meeting of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. Our guest speaker had just competed in the 2024 Paralympics in Paris. I chose to play "The Call of the Champions" written by John Williams and performed by the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square. I asked the ladies to shout "Citius, altius, fortius" along with the choir. Then I felt like I had to provide entertainment as we listened (mostly to the orchestra), so I sort of directed the air as we listened and brought the ladies in on cue for the three word chant.
Little did I expect that they would thank me for playing that wonderful song and being so entertaining to watch. They said that it was so fun to watch someone who had the talents that no one else in that group had and made it look so fun!
So there, Mrs. Bunton. I am doing all of those things I listed in 3rd Grade. Singer, artist, dancer, pianoist and poemist. And I'm a wife, a mother, and a grandmother, too.
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