Sharing Joy
It has been thrilling to watch the performances in Dayton this week at the WGI Color Guard World Championships. After over 1000 days between live events, everyone involved is excited to be back, and it shows.
There seems to be an extra sense of joy and appreciation as the guards are performing. Most notably, the crowd was amazingly encouraging and supportive during the Class A Finals on Friday evening. This was even evident for those of us watching virtually from home. Everyone seems to understand the challenge of the last two years and appreciates that we are back together again at last.
We all need more joy right now. The world is a challenging place and we’ve all collectively struggled. It has done my heart good to witness the joy of the performers on the floor. I’ve also enjoyed the posts from instructors and directors on Facebook as their groups have great performances and accomplish great things. Let’s all soak up every bit of joy that is being offered.
Inspired by this buzz of happiness, I encourage everyone to find ways to share joy in their own life. Small gestures can go a long way to improve someone’s day. Hold a door, make a phone call, or send an encouraging card in the mail. Check in on your friends and do small things to make a big difference.
I bake and mail off a banana bread each week. It’s fun to spend time baking, which enhances my life, and it’s fun to decide who I want to send this small parcel of joy to each week. I hope that this small gesture helps someone have a better week, get through a difficult patch, or celebrate something a little bit more. If we each do our part, the world can be a brighter place.
Pictured: Collage Winter Guard, a group directed by my friend Barry Artis, which has had a phenomenal season. Congrats to everyone at Collage for sharing their joy of performance with us all this season.
Tim Hinton
April 9, 2022
