Based off of my 8th Grade year, a year I'll always remember.
Dedicated to the best band directors I could ever have.
It was the last day of her 8th grade year. That year turned out to be a hell of a lot more than she could have ever expected. The High School marching band suffered from small numbers, she and a handle full of friends who held band high in their hearts were asked to join the band early. They obliged. They worked through blood, sweat, and tears. And through all the pain, and tears, they became a family. They became a part of something they never could have believed. They became part of a family.
The Marching season ended, and with a slight with drawl from their marching family, they realized they'd taken for granted the family they'd belonged to for longer, their junior high Jazz band. They enjoyed their last few months as a part of their Jazz band. They loved their director, and knew they worked their tale end off just to see him smile. And when at their last competition, he did nothing but smile; they knew they could leave happily.
However, they knew that didn't mean they could leave without shedding tears. On the last day of school, she sat on a bench near the desk of her beloved band director, shedding a few tears of joy and sadness. When the bell rang, and her last band class with him was truly over, the tears fell harder and she turned and fell into the arms of her band director. "It's going to be okay…" he muttered, "You'll do great at the High School. You've improved so much over the years and I'm very proud of you. You've meant a lot to me. Now you go out there, and show 'em! You've got a lot to offer. And you can always come back and visit." He assured her. With a smile she pulled back lightly kissed his cheek and said her good byes.
As she exited the Junior High as an 8th grade graduate, she realized that band … whether it be Concert, Jazz, or Marching … taught her more than any other class could. It taught her about a subject other classes hardly ever touched base on. It taught her about herself. So as her tears fell gently, she began to smile, as she looked across the street and saw the practice field of the High School. With a smile on her face, and a final tear sparkling on her cheek, she whispered to no one apparent, "See you in the fall…" And walked away happy, realizing that through thick and thin, her band family would always be there.