I originally planned to write part two of this piece at a later date, but it wouldn't keep until then, so here goes....
Well, where did we leave off? Oh, yes, that's right. I was spewing forth pure unaldulterated bragging gibberish about my son, Clay, and his American Idol experience. Now that you all know how the story ends, I'll take you back to the beginning in order to explain why this is a story of victory, not defeat.
Clayton was not your average everyday kid in grade school and middle school. He has always been very small for his age, and his ADHD and bi-polar disorders contributed to some anti-social behaviors that the other kids and teachers didn't understand. As a result, he was the target of every bully that ever walked the halls of these schools, and they were relentless. He was called names, kicked, punched, thrown into dumpsters and lockers, and excluded from every activity he ever tried to do. Sure, many other kids can say the same about their middle school experience, but not to this degree. His inability to cope in certain social situations made it all the more worse. Eventually this would catch up to him, and throw him into a dark depression that his mother and I didn't think he'd ever come out of.
The months leading up to the start of High School were very unnerving for both us and Clay. The anticipation of what was to come, combined with the hope that all would change was a recipe for an anxiety filled summer. Clay was optimistic, although I'll never know how, and his mother and I were scared to death.
The first day of school brought about a change in Clayton that none of us saw coming. He was the only Freshman to make the competition concert choir. Quite a feat, considering all he'd been through. But the choir directors saw something in him that others never had. Consequently, the other members of the choir saw it, too, and embraced Clayton immediately. Before long, he had more friends than he had in his entire life, and was somewhat of a mascot to his peers in choir. Since then, Clayton has become a completely different person. He has a light in his eyes that we had never seen before. He has a passion for his music that is unmatched by anyone I've ever seen. He's competing and winning. He's taking chances and earning his peers' respect. Sure, he still does all of the usual stupid teenager things that get him into trouble, but that's part of the joy in all of this. We never thought he'd be a normal, usually stupid teenager! There's an awesome victory in that alone!
Looking back on the whole American Idol thing, some lessons have been learned. Ironically, Clayton taught us a few of them. You see, our eyes were on the prize, so to speak. It was just the wrong prize! The fact that Clayton made it to a place in his life where he was able to shoulder that kind of pressure was one of the "real" prizes. The fact that he was able to do it as calm and collected as he did, was another. Finally, the fact that he did it all with the help of his faith in Jesus Christ, was the biggest prize of all!
The recent passing of Whitney Houston and the related news reports, memorials, tributes, etc., have brought to light a very scary reality. What is the real prize? What is the true reward of fame? The collective ideology in this country (America) has reached all new lows in recent years. Pop culture has our children following (Idolizing) characters that are so bizarre and innapropriate, they wouldn't be allowed at the Tea Party with Alice and the Mad Hatter! The level of acceptance in regards to sexual promiscuity, pornographic images and drug abuse in language, literature, music and film is absolutely staggering! Whitney Houston was once, an unbelievable talent. Her level of vocal prowess may never be seen again. But, she was also a drug addict. A tragedy, no doubt, but one that needs to be looked at with some perspective. Today, several hundred heroin addicts will be found dead of apparent overdoses all across the country, and you won't hear about any of them. Today, several hundred babies will be born addicted to some form of illegal drugs, and some of them will die as a result. But you won't hear about any of them. As a people, we are idolizing fame, fortune and those that posess it far too frequently. I'm guilty of it myself. But it's time to step back and take a look at the bigger picture. We live in a broken world. We could get all upset and aggravated by the images we see all around us. Or, in contrast, we could fall prey to them and embrace them in order to fit in today's society. But, instead, I'm reminded of something my Clayton said once.
You see, a light went on inside Clayton's head on a dark day in eighth grade. He was reminded that, while this world has it's dark corners, it's a world that was created and managed by an awesome and mighty God. Without suffering and tragedy, there would be no compassion, and without darkness there can be no light. it's all part of a greater plan, and HE is in control.
All of the images we are surrounded by, all of the false idolotry we see everyday, are only symptoms of the real condition, which is a genuine need for salvation. And as upset as we may get while being inundated with all of this "acceptable" media, it's important to get some perspective from the unlikeliest of sources, a 16 year old kid, who once said: "God's got my back. What do I have to be nervous about?"
We'll continue to watch American Idol this season, and root on our favorites. But we'll do so with a different outlook on the eventual outcome.Who's going to be the next American Idol? Let's hope it's Jesus Christ!!!
Monday, February 13, 2012
American Idol - otry
Wow! What a year it has been since I last blogged. Like many of you, I've found myself overscheduled, overcommitted, overworked and underpaid! But, it's time once again to take time for me, and do something I enjoy just for me. A little selfish, maybe, but here we go nonetheless.
One of the things that had me so busy earlier last year was my oldest son Clayton's quest for fame. Having waited for several years for his chance, he was finally old enough to audition for American Idol. The convenience of auditions being held in St. Louis was even more of a reason to let him give it a go. It's not as though we were throwing him to the wolves, though. Clay has already built up quite the resume, for such a young kid of 16 years. He has won several national vocal awards, including the Maestro award for best solo vocalist out of a field of over 2,000 in NYC last year. He placed in MO State choir finals last year, as well as coming in 2nd place overall at the American Idol Experience at Walt Disney World in Orlando. Well, enough bragging! Let's get to the point!
Many months of preparation went into this experience; choosing songs, rehearsing them, working on stage presence, interview questions, the whole nine yards. The day finally came for him to strut his stuff in the preliminary round auditions, and he was ready.
The crowd in downtown St. Louis, that day was surreal. There were over 12,000 in the streets awaiting their chance at fame and fortune. All groups were well represented, from the young and talented, the not so young and talented, to the not so talented at all, and the just plain strange! Nonetheless, the atmosphere was electric. At around 4:30 a.m., we found a spot in line and settled down for an incredibly long day. Amid the sounds of guitars, singing and laughter, one voice rang out louder than most. Ryan Seacrest had been shouting direction through a megaphone all morning, getting the crowd fired up for all of the promo shots that would come later. When there was a calm, though, Clay would pick up his guitar and just start singing. Nothing different than any of the other hopefuls, there except for one thing. Clay wasn't rehearsing or perfecting his audition piece, like everyone else. He was just singing. He had a calmness about him that I hadn't seen before....cool as a cucumber.
He was just playing his guitar and singing along, when he was approached by another contestant wearing the same blue wristband, who was telling us his sob story about sleeping on a bench at Kiener Plaza the night before, and so on. He asked Clay to play something for him. Clay played one of his favorites, Halleluia by Leonard Cohen, and this unknown contestant just listened intently. Afterwards, he gave Clay some advice, having been through this process a few times before, and told Clay that he was really good, and not to get discouraged if he doesn't make the cut. Then, he dissappeared into the sea of faces in the street, never to be seen again. Well, not really. We would see him again, but I'll get to that in a bit.
After about a 3 hour wait in the streets, the gates finally opened, and we were herded into the Scottrade Center like cattle. On our way in, we heard a voice from across the street shouting Clay's name. One of his school classmates was calling him over. When we crossed the street, we realized that he was being called over there for a specific reason. There was a camera crew and interviewer for HEC-TV. They were told by his classmates, that he had the best shot at being the next big thing, so they wanted to do a piece on him. Like a pro, he hammed it up for the camera, answering questions, singing bits and pieces of a few songs, etc. But one answer he gave, made me more proud than anything he had accomplished to this point. When asked if he was nervous, he simply answered this way. "Not really", he said. "God's got my back. If He wants this for me, then great. If not, I'm fine with that, too. He's in control, not me. It's His plan, not mine. What's there to be nervous about?" I was beaming! It's no small feat for a kid of that age to profess his faith in public, let alone on camera!
We eventually made it inside, and found our seats among the thousands. Once the process got started, the atmosphere turned cold and fierce. Those who advanced to the next round were given a golden ticket, and those that didn't make the cut were summarily dismissed by someone who cut off their wristband and showed them the door. While waiting for our turn, Clay noticed a familiar face down in the audition area. It was the "contestant" who approached him in line earlier that morning. He was one of the judging producers! It turns out, he was scouting the crowd earlier, sort of pre-judging. Clay had a slight moment of panic. We decided at the last minute to change his audition song. In the case that he may get judged by the same guy, he wanted to sing something this judge hadn't heard from him already.
Another hour went by, and it was finally Clay's turn. He very calmly walked to his spot in the audition line and awaited his chance. I was unable to see or hear anything from my vantage point. I was herded behind a set of barricades with all of the other parents. What seemed like an hour went by (it was more like 5 minutes) before Clay emerged from the curtains with a golden ticket. He would next have to audition for the executive producers of the show in a month or so. He made it through the next 2 rounds of auditions, before finally being cut by THE executive producer of the show, Nigel Lithgow. He was told that he was very good, but that the show was looking for someone a little older this year. So, the dream was put on hold, for now. As he stated in his interview, Clay was okay with it. I mean, he was noticeably upset at first, but he recovered quickly and moved on. It turns out, he was one of the final 50 contestants in St. Louis, and 46 went on to Hollywood. So close, but yet so far!!
There is so much more to this story than meets the eye, though. It's the story of a kid who has been bullied most of his life. It's the story of a kid with bi-polar disorder and ADHD. It's the story of a kid who rose above the adversity he had faced for much of his life, and with the help of his King, Jesus Christ, has risen to heights no one thought would ever be possible. It's a story of defeat. It's a story of triumph and victory. And it's a story for another day.........Stay tuned............(to be continued).
One of the things that had me so busy earlier last year was my oldest son Clayton's quest for fame. Having waited for several years for his chance, he was finally old enough to audition for American Idol. The convenience of auditions being held in St. Louis was even more of a reason to let him give it a go. It's not as though we were throwing him to the wolves, though. Clay has already built up quite the resume, for such a young kid of 16 years. He has won several national vocal awards, including the Maestro award for best solo vocalist out of a field of over 2,000 in NYC last year. He placed in MO State choir finals last year, as well as coming in 2nd place overall at the American Idol Experience at Walt Disney World in Orlando. Well, enough bragging! Let's get to the point!
Many months of preparation went into this experience; choosing songs, rehearsing them, working on stage presence, interview questions, the whole nine yards. The day finally came for him to strut his stuff in the preliminary round auditions, and he was ready.
The crowd in downtown St. Louis, that day was surreal. There were over 12,000 in the streets awaiting their chance at fame and fortune. All groups were well represented, from the young and talented, the not so young and talented, to the not so talented at all, and the just plain strange! Nonetheless, the atmosphere was electric. At around 4:30 a.m., we found a spot in line and settled down for an incredibly long day. Amid the sounds of guitars, singing and laughter, one voice rang out louder than most. Ryan Seacrest had been shouting direction through a megaphone all morning, getting the crowd fired up for all of the promo shots that would come later. When there was a calm, though, Clay would pick up his guitar and just start singing. Nothing different than any of the other hopefuls, there except for one thing. Clay wasn't rehearsing or perfecting his audition piece, like everyone else. He was just singing. He had a calmness about him that I hadn't seen before....cool as a cucumber.
He was just playing his guitar and singing along, when he was approached by another contestant wearing the same blue wristband, who was telling us his sob story about sleeping on a bench at Kiener Plaza the night before, and so on. He asked Clay to play something for him. Clay played one of his favorites, Halleluia by Leonard Cohen, and this unknown contestant just listened intently. Afterwards, he gave Clay some advice, having been through this process a few times before, and told Clay that he was really good, and not to get discouraged if he doesn't make the cut. Then, he dissappeared into the sea of faces in the street, never to be seen again. Well, not really. We would see him again, but I'll get to that in a bit.
After about a 3 hour wait in the streets, the gates finally opened, and we were herded into the Scottrade Center like cattle. On our way in, we heard a voice from across the street shouting Clay's name. One of his school classmates was calling him over. When we crossed the street, we realized that he was being called over there for a specific reason. There was a camera crew and interviewer for HEC-TV. They were told by his classmates, that he had the best shot at being the next big thing, so they wanted to do a piece on him. Like a pro, he hammed it up for the camera, answering questions, singing bits and pieces of a few songs, etc. But one answer he gave, made me more proud than anything he had accomplished to this point. When asked if he was nervous, he simply answered this way. "Not really", he said. "God's got my back. If He wants this for me, then great. If not, I'm fine with that, too. He's in control, not me. It's His plan, not mine. What's there to be nervous about?" I was beaming! It's no small feat for a kid of that age to profess his faith in public, let alone on camera!
We eventually made it inside, and found our seats among the thousands. Once the process got started, the atmosphere turned cold and fierce. Those who advanced to the next round were given a golden ticket, and those that didn't make the cut were summarily dismissed by someone who cut off their wristband and showed them the door. While waiting for our turn, Clay noticed a familiar face down in the audition area. It was the "contestant" who approached him in line earlier that morning. He was one of the judging producers! It turns out, he was scouting the crowd earlier, sort of pre-judging. Clay had a slight moment of panic. We decided at the last minute to change his audition song. In the case that he may get judged by the same guy, he wanted to sing something this judge hadn't heard from him already.
Another hour went by, and it was finally Clay's turn. He very calmly walked to his spot in the audition line and awaited his chance. I was unable to see or hear anything from my vantage point. I was herded behind a set of barricades with all of the other parents. What seemed like an hour went by (it was more like 5 minutes) before Clay emerged from the curtains with a golden ticket. He would next have to audition for the executive producers of the show in a month or so. He made it through the next 2 rounds of auditions, before finally being cut by THE executive producer of the show, Nigel Lithgow. He was told that he was very good, but that the show was looking for someone a little older this year. So, the dream was put on hold, for now. As he stated in his interview, Clay was okay with it. I mean, he was noticeably upset at first, but he recovered quickly and moved on. It turns out, he was one of the final 50 contestants in St. Louis, and 46 went on to Hollywood. So close, but yet so far!!
There is so much more to this story than meets the eye, though. It's the story of a kid who has been bullied most of his life. It's the story of a kid with bi-polar disorder and ADHD. It's the story of a kid who rose above the adversity he had faced for much of his life, and with the help of his King, Jesus Christ, has risen to heights no one thought would ever be possible. It's a story of defeat. It's a story of triumph and victory. And it's a story for another day.........Stay tuned............(to be continued).
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