WARNING: Shameless parental bragging about to commence.

I have decided I will probably spend the next 5 years of my life crying constantly. I cry a lot, anyway, but this is a time of life where transitions are really touching me. Last year it was my oldest son getting married. This year, my second son is graduating high school.

He is a theater fanatic so we’ve had high school musicals and plays for four years. A few weeks ago he finished his high school career playing Gaston in “Beauty and the Beast.”

Last night he had his last choir concert. His choir director was interviewing to be the high school’s choir director when Josiah was “Curly” in Oklahoma as a freshman. When the choir director saw Josiah on the stage he told his wife, “That’s a young man I want to develop. He’s got something.”

The choir director has poured his talent into Josiah and last night it was shining. Josiah had received a superior rating and was named to the all state high school choir. To reward him for the achievement, the choir director had Josiah sing a solo piece from Handel. The singing was amazing, but it was what happened right before that filled my heart with such thankfulness.

The high school choir was seated on the sides in the auditorium as the elementary all star choir was on stage. As the elementary choir was leaving the stage, Josiah made his way unannounced to the stage for his solo. As he came up, the choir just exploded in applause for him. They hooted and hollered and cheered. I could not have had more love and pride for my son than in that moment. His high school career was culminating and he was being recognized by his peers as having done his best through his time at the high school.

Of course, I cried. I couldn’t even clap. I was blown away by the response of the choir members.

He received other awards for his work in the choir last night as well. But the biggest award was that amazing response from his peers as he made his way quietly to the stage.

I’ll cry at his graduation. Then, my youngest son will make his way through the rest of his high school career and I’ll cry a lot more.

Maybe I’ll invest in Kleenex stock for the next several years.