Highland Highlights

By Loraine Ritchey

I would like to begin where the life of every dancer starts with mom and the reprint of a column "Just a Mother". Dancer 1996

"Just a Mother!!!!" This past week during a soccer game a parent spoke out about the dangerous conditions on the playing field. Afterwards, a coach and referee walked past "Is SHE anybody?" "Nah! She's just a mother!" I would've given them both a piece of my mind but at that moment this "mother" was playing nurse to her injured player. It seems ironic that recently the whole country (USA) was celebrating "MOTHER" but when it comes to sports or the arts "mother" becomes almost an insult.

The Highland mums that I have met in the past years are, on the whole, a wonderful group. They are the financiers, chauffeurs, costumiers, ( how many times have they stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish that jacket, press that kilt?) They are the cheerleaders, dressers(you can spot a Highland mum coat hangers and outfits at the ready by the changing area) the nurse, hairdresser, statistician ( Highland mums KNOW who won what and where, and what judge placed who, where throughout their child's dancing career), travel agents, researcher. Who is it that dries the tears on the long road home after a bad day? Who tries to explain to her dancer WHY they didn't place, all the time trying to teach fair play and good sportsmanship? Who gets little Johnnie or Susie to lessons, keeps them, interested when "it's too hard" and who faces the teacher when "Susie doesn't practice hard enough". Who is it that gets little Susie to practice? Who sits on hard bleachers in the heat, cold or rain, carries the umbrella, cooler and dance gear just so that she can hold her breath the whole time her child performs, praying all the time that that little foot doesn't touch the dreaded sword? Giving of herself and time so that her child can experience that "moment in the light". Yes! We are "mothers" but we are so much more, we wear many hats, have careers, hopes fears of our own but we would go to the ends of the earth for our child, (in fact I think some Highland mums have packed the van and been there twice!)



As always for Questions and Comments, I can be reached at

Loraine Ritchey, 1127.W. 4th Street, Lorain, Ohio, 44052.

lritch7@yahoo.com

ritch@adelphia.net