I went last night with my D12 to an open mic night. She wasn't planning to perform (because she whacked her chin Tuesday on a kayak and it's really bruised and sore) but we were going to check out the venue because we'd heard it was the one coffeehouse open mic nite with a piano for her to play.
Well, D and I got there (H took the boys out to the movies) and D just couldn't resist the urge to perform, so she signed up. When her turn finally came, she got up, introduced herself very confidently to the audience (Hello, my name is M, I'm 12, and I'm an aspiring songwriter) and played beautifully. Her voice just filled the room in a way nobody else had all evening. I could tell people were very impressed. And later when the emcee got up to do his own set, he took the mike and said "Marisa, you said you were an aspiring songwriter. Well, you'll have to set some new goals, because you've already achieved that aspiration". Very sweet.
And D just loves performing. No second guessing, "oh, I could have done better, I hit that note wrong" - none of that stuff. Just sheer glee at having an audience. The girl has stage presence.
This is so amazing to watch. I am humbled by her gifts and her sheer intelligence.
