A music teacher's labour of love

On Friday, our daughters learned that this Sunday afternoon, today, their school band and its alumni have been invited to give a concert at the Cross Cancer Institute. A band alumnus from 2010 (J. was in grade 12 when our eldest was in grade 10) has cancer and will be having surgery tomorrow... and we all pray for the best. He's at the Cross, and this afternoon's concert is a special performance for him and his family... including some songs from his years in band. One of our girls has been scrambling to learn flute parts for a couple of songs only rehearsed once on Friday. The band teacher will be on hand at school to give out music and instruments to all who need them, and they'll converge on the Cross at 1 p.m.

Our band teacher is a wonderful woman... and this event only underlines for me how many of our teachers are unsung heroes, no matter their teaching abilities, just because of the bonds of love between them and their students.

4:00 p.m. Just back from a very moving concert. The high school band and its alumni were amazing -- giving an excellent and much appreciated performance. The school's motto is "We are family," and today, we truly were. It was probably the best form of support and strength J.'s schoolmates could offer him toward tomorrow's surgery.

God bless Madame B. and her wonderful band students, past and present. And God bless and keep J. safe through his surgery tomorrow. Feel free to add your own prayers!