Just amazed…
In one little week, three hours a day, those hard working women and all the volunteers created that magic, beautiful work of art. Unbelievable. Truly. I am a veteran of all seven years of All Abilities Drama Camp, and I have watched the camp grow from a fledgling dream of Anna and Julie’s, to the sponsored non-profit that blew everyone’s minds today. I am so proud of my friends. I am so proud of Willow and Lilly. I am so proud to know everyone in that gym today and to have shared witness to the amazingness that happened there today. What beauty.
Dances. Choreographed dances, songs performed on homemade instruments, costumes with such detail and creativity the audience literally oohed and ahhed. Lines that shook every person in that gym to the core, as we can’t help but consider the days news, stories shared, fear and concern growing, perhaps overly-dramatic blogs read. And to see all our babies, working together, loving each other, so excited to be a part of the big day some couldn’t quit announcing into the mic how much fun they were having! My girl, in her light up wheelchair and her cape, squealing with joy every time her chair moved. And Danielle’s evil laugh? Can it get any better? My god, I am simply in awe.What a gift of innocence and lessons learned, love and understanding encouraged and acceptance encouraged. Like I said yesterday, ripples of love and goodness emanated out of that gym today. Lessons have been forged in the minds of all those children and every member of the audience. That notion gives me such peace right now.
My baby. My Willow. A mom pulled me aside after the play and told me her son was in the acting room. He told his mom that this girl Willow had the best line in the whole play. The mom asked what the line was, and the boy said that whenever they move her wheelchair around, she squeals with such joy with perfect timing. He thought her outburst of excitement for being an actor this year was a line written for her, performed to perfection. My sweet, non-verbal actress. If that isn’t the perfect most succinct slogan for Inclusion, I don’t know what is. Lilly, who so bravely and naturally dove head first into the world of special needs and inclusion this last year as she has come to know and love Willow, she was The Red Flower. She proudly wore that beautiful costume her designer made, like Katniss in Hunger Games, owned those super powers and spoke proudly of everyone getting along. Willow squealed. That sweet boy with his ongoing meta-commentary throughout the play. The rocking songs with their dance routines. I will be rewatching the videos I took on my phone over, and over, and over again. Soon as I can figure out how to post all the pictures and video we took, I will send out an updated summary post with fancy visuals.
Thank you, All Abilities Drama Camp, 2016. This was the best year yet. You women and guys and volunteers and parents who woke up early to schlep your kids there, and the janitors and sponsors and everyone who attended. How lucky are we? We all got to share a miracle today.
whitewillow 