Mr.
Tweedie's English Composition Class
Would
you take a look at this miniature eagle? Do any of you girls know how the
eagles learn to fly so high and for such a long time?
When
the baby eagles grow into a certain age, the mother pushes her own babies down
the steep cliff, when she has not even taught her children how to fly. The baby
eagles, having no choice but to desperately try to fly, try all kinds of
methods within a couple of minutes while falling down. Those give up during the
process die. Those try until they succeed, live. Of the eagles that try
frantically until they reach the very ground, there is not a single eagle that
dies.
YOU
are my baby eagles, and I really want you to keep that in mind. You have been
practicing for 6 months! That certainly is a lot of time, and you did not waste
any of it. Nonetheless, you were practicing with real passion, and I watched
you girls with actual admiration. During the ten years of my career of giving
children ballet lessons, you were the youngest, and the most talented kids I
have ever encountered, and I mean it. I know that if you keep going with this
amount of passion and this amount of practice time, you WILL be the best ballet
dancers, even entering the "The Bolshoi Ballet" at some point.
Believe me, I can see it in you, and I can FEEL it in you!
I
know I've been excessively harsh on you girls, and never complimented throughout
the whole 6 months, but you should really know that I acted in such a way
because I wanted you to exert your capacity to the fullest. Now, you girls are
ready to go out there and demonstrate what you have!
I
know you have been peeking out and freaking out of the size of the audience
just a few moments ago, and I know you're all very nervous inside. You were
making mistakes on the routine not because you weren't good enough, but because
your mind isn't set up for performance yet. Actually, I also had the exact same
experience when I was your age. I got to perform in a much bigger stage than
this place, and my show was more of a formal audition than an informal talent
show like what you're going through right now. So, you can imagine how nervous
I was. Besides, I wasn't performing as a group; I was all by myself, since it
was a solo performance that I did. Watching some of the previous participants
leaving with luggage along with tears, I was already shaking with fear even
before going on the stage. Finally, it was my turn to perform in front of the
frowning judges, but I was too afraid to go up there, and unfortunately, I gave
up. I have regretted that, like, for the rest of my life, until today.
Now
I do NOT want you talented girls to regret your sweating blood for precious six
months, especially if you don't want to spoil your peers' hard work. As I have
been trying to tell you, you guys are extremely talented, worked so hard for
this day, and even your parents are coming to watch! Aren't you guys excited to
show your parents what you've got? Now, people will probably come to this
performance, thinking "Well, how good can little girls dance? They're just
cute, small girls who happen to have little talent shows, for the amusement of
their parents." Girls, this would be a great chance to demonstrate how
good and professional you can be even though you're little girls. I know you
can nail this, and so do you.
