43 years ago, I did my first ever juggling performance in my high school talent show.  On the high school auditorium stage, I did a three or four minute routine with no music and no patter.  I was full of anxiety, and I was tempted, while waiting for my turn on stage, to sneak out the side exit of the school and walk home.  If it wasn't for the fact that my dad, brother and nephew were in the audience, I very well might have.  Also, I knew deep down that if I avoided this show, it would be harder, if not impossible, to do it another time. In the end, I came in second place that night, and even recieved a standing ovation.  

These memories from decades past came back vividly to me yesterday as I waited backstage at Lakes Region's Got Talent, a local talent competition I am participating in. The similarities were plentiful.  The competition is in our local high school's auditorium, I am given a three to four minute time slot to perform, and there was a lot of down time waiting backstage.  Perhaps the biggest similarity, though, is the fact that most of the contestants who made it to the semifinals are teenagers.  Although there were a handful of adults in round one, in this round I was the oldest by far, followed by a 20 year old.  Everyone else is still in high school, and in one case, middle school.  That said, some of the talent is tremendous.

Unlike my first talent competition in 1978, I was not particularly anxious, so I was able to enjoy the backstage time.  The teens, who actually are from multiple towns in the area and New Hampshire, are all very respectful; I didn't once hear "Okay, boomer".  One 15 year old sophomore was performing magic, and we talked shop for a long time.  There was a senior was competing with original songs he had written.  I heard his first performance last week and was really moved by his song about an old man dying, so I asked for a copy of the lyrics to use when I teach poetry next month.  From there we talked about folk music, and I introduced him to Noah Gundersen, a favorite singer/songwriter of my daughters and me. One young lady asked for prayer to calm her nerves before going on stage.  It was just a fun atmosphere, and I think I  filled the role of "experienced old guy" very well.

I performed my balance board/juggling routine to Melanie's version of the Hallelujah Chorus.  Although there was no standing ovation this time, I have been advanced to the finals next Sunday.  My original goal was to be part of this through the final weekend and that has now been achieved.  Obviously, I'd gladly accept the $500 first prize (or $300 second or $200 third) but my main reason for doing this has been the very thing I described above: participating in the community, meeting people, doing something I enjoy, and being "salt" -a quiet presence of representing Christ- to people who love to perform as much as I do.