We don’t go to a middle school choir concert expecting to hear the perfect version of “Silent Night.” And the school doesn’t charge a hundred-twenty bucks a ticket, either. Parents fill a gym to hear their kid among many others sing a few songs.

Somewhere along the way, we get the entire thing twisted. And I think it might start in that gym.

Children learn to think their value is based on excellence long before they can claim anything close to it.

And we know that some of these singers will keep it up, and a few of those will sing in college or form a band or sing in their church choirs into the seventies. But each has to start somewhere. And they had to learn how to learn from somewhere.

I don’t think we give enough attention to how special it is to see all of these families recording a performance on a cell phone with no chance of hearing their child’s voice. But they hold up that phone anyway. And when it’s over, they congratulate them, hug them, and tell them how proud they are.

Bravery at any age is valuable. And so is love.

And every young singer has the chance to be a singer for life.