15
August 2021: The Maestro
I asked to speak today about The Maestro.
Some may ask: what makes someone a maestro? A maestro is an artistic master: someone who is skilled enough to be
considered an artistic genius. Taking one music class or art class can
teach you a great deal, but it won't make you a maestro. Maestro (which comes
from the Italian) is reserved for people with an enormous amount of skill and
talent.
As we gather here today this is the
nickname I gave to my beloved colleague; and, I told her so directly. She was
able to artfully inspire and herd our kittens, you may know them as our Preschool
students or friends, in order to help them grow into the responsible and cherished
cherubs that parents want.
I could pick out many examples of the
skill and talent of the maestro of which there were many. She was the one who
put the positive messages on the bulletin board, she was the one who was
thoughtful and kind to everyone, she was the one who had the good ideas for
gifts, the special touches for the faculty, she was the one who inspired
teachers to produce their best; and, most importantly, she was the one who was
able to draw the best performances from our friends, the students. Despite bad
news, for example, during our Christmas party she received a text about a
family tragedy, yet in the moment, she never lost that positive and uplifting
spirit but continued on in an upbeat manner. The maestro was a genuine
inspiration of positivity, life, and grit.
However, I do want to pick out one
particular incident which I think best illustrates the maestro’s talent and
skill. This display occurred during a Halloween performance. Now anyone who
knew the maestro realized that she was the most non-witch like person you would
ever meet. Nonetheless, that day, for the kids, she was the witch. And,
understand that I say this in all kindness and genuine affection: what a witch
she was!
With the dry ice enveloping around her
and her witch baton swirling about she mesmerized our kittens, the faculty,
staff, and obviously me, to put on a display that would make Broadway envious.
Now, that’s talent and skill and I hope you realize now why I nicknamed her the
maestro.
The maestro helped children year after
year for over twenty years and there is a Filipino proverb which states that “a
person who does not remember where she
came from will never reach her destination.”
Ang hindi lumingon sa
pinanggalingan, hindi makakarating sa paroroonan.
A favored destination
is one key element that the maestro added to our campus since it's important to
look back at your roots and show gratitude to those who came before you. It is
because of them that you are where you are today. Our students realized that
the maestro shared her culture which is her heart and soul. Like so many who immigrated
to our shores we are grateful for them and the maestro combined her culture with
the exceptional and eternal potential of America: Life, Liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness.
I am so richly
blessed to have known the maestro personally. During a celebration of life with
a person who was so gifted, so giving, so positive, and so talented, I hope you
realize that I can easily say as promised in 1 Corinthians 15:55-57: “O death, where is thy sting? O
grave, where is thy victory?”
The maestro’s
destination is eternal life.
To the maestro’s family who shared this wonderful human being with us;
thank you.