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| The Pride of Broken Arrow performing 2013's Utopia |
Dear Staff and Creative directors of the Pride of Broken Arrow,
For some time now I’ve been wanting to express my great
appreciation to you and the entire Pride staff. I’ve had the privilege to
support 2 daughters in the color guard, Molly and Katie, with the hopes for the
remainder of my 4 children left at home to march someday with the Pride.
Please bear with me as I try to express in words the feelings of
gratitude in my heart.
I am keenly aware that parenting is all about teaching,
guiding and finding those opportunities in life as they become available.
The past few months have been chopped full of those parenting moments for me,
Katie and the rest of my children. When I was diagnosed with cancer my
world was shaken, and I thought I had felt the deepest of earth trembling
shakes when my husband had passed away, I was wrong. Your eyes are opened
wide when you are given the task of fighting for life, I was awoken to
what being a mother was really about, one of them being the joys of simple
things.
This year’s show, Katie’s first year performing with the
Pride was a God given blessing to me and my family. Funny that a high
school marching band can move a 39 year old mother to such emotions but it
has. As the season progressed, Kate and I would have night time
discussions after practice, after football games, after wonderful trips to
super regionals about how simple and beautiful the show was and how the music was
soul moving. Those moments with my daughter are forever etched in my mind
and I hope lasting memories for her as well, for isn’t that what life is really
about, creating those memories? Being curious about the music, one
afternoon I took it upon myself to research. Not being very musically
knowledgeable, I had no background information about the music composed by
Aaron Copland. I was moved to tears when the feelings that I had recently
began to appreciate about life was an inspiration for the music; Simple
Gifts, the shakers hymn being the inspiration behind his beautiful composition
Appalachian Springs.
"Tis the gift to be
simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right."
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right."
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| Katie Rose, center front color guard |
I’m sure it was never your intentions to produce a show just
for my family, I can just see you and Wes thinking “Hmm, how can we lift the
spirits of the Summers family” :)
But this is the purpose of my deepest thanks, you did such this year when
you guided, taught and inspired those children to become the best musicians and
dancers they could possibly be. You took beautiful music, the inspiration
behind the music and produced something magical that I will never forget.
My family understands the importance of what this life is all about, time with
each other, sharing opportunities, living life and enjoying the simplest of
things, hugs, kisses, laughter, tears, joy and music.
Thank you all for giving of so much of your life to
this wonderful organization. I will forever remember this time in my
family’s life that we were taught and moved and lifted by something as simple
as, the Pride of Broken Arrow.
Sincerely,
Rebecca
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| Katie Rose |
