A Simple Card, A Lasting Impact
Sometimes, the smallest acts of kindness spark the most lasting transformation. Hear from Annie Sears, who taught our very first tap class this fall, about an everyday moment that deeply impacted one of our five-year-old dancers.
One of my favorite verses is Psalm 150: 4–5, which reads: “Praise him with drums and dancing! Praise him with the loud, resounding clash of cymbals! Praise him with every instrument you can find!” This semester I had the privilege of facilitating space for our dancers to use the instrument of tap shoes as worship.
The day before our Winter Showcase, I wrote a card for each tap dancer, detailing the ways I’d seen her grow in courage, kindness, and confidence throughout the semester. Because our tappers are between five and seven years old, I wasn’t sure how meaningful those cards would be—they’re just learning to read, after all! But I wrote them regardless, and I’m so glad I did.
Another teacher sent me this photo of my dancer having her card read aloud to her for the first time. Needless to say, I bawled. What a humbling reminder of how powerful our words are. When we see the beauty in the world and name it, we reinforce it. Our words can strengthen one another. We can use language to speak truth into existence.
That’s something I know our dancers have learned over this past semester. You know those balloon people you see outside car dealerships? I see six of those every week when I ask these dancers who wants to pray for us before we leave the studio. Every hand shoots up with uncontrollable, floppy energy because every girl knows that her voice is important, that her words mean something. And every week, one of those bright, bold girls prays, “Dear God, thank you that we had so much fun today. Dancing makes us happy, and thank you that we made our teachers very happy when we danced.” It’s so true, sweet girl. You bring us so much joy.
(There’s also often an expectant prayer about getting to eat chicken nuggets later. Equally important, for sure.)
Tappers dancing to “Singin’ In The Rain” at the 2019 Winter Showcase.
Packing some encouraging words into a small card or a short prayer for another isn’t a grand act of justice. It’s a small act of kindness, an everyday moment. But it can have an enduring impact. That’s #mybjmmoment.
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