Sounds of the season

As I was returning to work from lunch Friday, I cut through the Pacwest Center, as I often do. And what greeted me as I opened the double doors? A familiar sight and a welcome sound at this time of the year: a high school choir.

The girls wore long dresses with sleeveless tops and the guys wore white dress shirts with black bow ties. A few of them wore Santa hats and several of the boys and girls had mufflers around their neck. There was no signage indicating where they were from but it didn't really matter because, as they went through their little routine to the tune of "Here Comes Santa Claus," it seemed to me they represented choirs all across the metro area.

Lunchtime diners at the restaurant inside the office building picked at their plates, hardly looking up at the kids. As I rode the escalator, looking back down at them, I appreciated their effort to bring a little Christmas cheer. There was no missing their earnestness, and there was no missing the professionalism embodied in their director, a tall woman with sheet music at her feet and a smile on her face.

Earlier in the week, when I was at the mall, I caught a glimpse of a few high school kids dressed in the familiar black suits and blue dresses that I recognized as those of the Grant High School Royal Blues -- the elite ensemble to which our daughter belonged for two years. The group performed all over the city and even toured the United Kingdom while Simone was a member. This year's group was either headed to or from a performance somewhere in the mall, but simply seeing them brought back some nice memories of talented young singers and the friendships formed among us parents.

I hope the kids at the Pacwest Center have enjoyed a similar camaraderie and the support of friends and family members. With their voices and their energy, they offer a gift to us listeners.