A Musical Twist to Life: He's Eight Today

It was a warm sunny Saturday morning exactly eight years ago. The three of us set out on what had become a routine for a checkup for my wife at the maternity hospital at Sharjah. But today was different - the tests were not showing and when the doctor probed further, there was a very good reason. One little boy was in a big hurry to see the light of day.

Kendall is still a boy in a hurry, as he sits and keeps track of everything anybody types at the computer, and instructs even me on the shortcuts to computing. He's a boy in a hurry to grow up and keep up with his elder brother, six years older than he.

Very different from Kaniel in most ways, there's more than one thing they love in common. Besides the games on the iPad that all kids enjoy, they have a common love for making music.

On one weekend, I introduced Kendall to his first finger exercise on the keyboard. And this is what it turned into.

The year has had more than its fair share of music for Kendall. Was a proud moment for all of us when he was one of of the few boys to be selected for a solo part for Annual Day - an experience that gave him tremendous confidence. The selection actually earned him the nickname of 'solo singer' especially by classmates who find his name difficult to pronounce.

What started in school went even further in Sunday School. On a day when I was tied up with professional commitments, Kendall stepped up on stage at 'A Fair To Remember', our parish fete to sing a song or two.

At the Sunday School Annual Day a couple of months ago, he was selected to play the role of Joseph (from the Old Testament) and sang this song about 'A Coat of Many Colours'

Just last week, our parish conducted the Vacation Bible Joy program, and once again Kendall was called on to lend his voice to this theme song written by some of the catechists there. Here's the song with a compilation of pictures from the camp.

If you ever pass outside my front door, you may hear our keyboard play either one of the following nursery rhymes - Mary Had a Little Lamb or London Bridge Is Falling Down. But what is different about these songs is the elaborate Intro and Outro across music genres from Rock to Jazz to Swing... that only Kendall can add.

During the week, he discovered a harmonica that had been gifted to him by my parents, and decided he wanted to learn to play it. He went online and searched for harmonica notes, and then went on to learn the same two songs on the harmonica. Give a little listen.

As the school year came to a close, students were handed over a copy of the school magazine that including this article from our champ.

As we celebrate the completion of another year in Kendall's life, I indeed need to Thank The Lord for this wonderful gift of love to our family. In this month of May (dedicated to Mother Mary), we entrust him in the arms of Our Blessed Mother for her care and protection... and most of all her intercession.