My daughter, who is 8 years old, dances at a local studio here in town...
last year... one week before their recital, her jazz class FINALLY received the cotumes they had been waiting months for.
the girls all excitedly pull their costumes out of the bags and began to try them on. unfortunately there was one girl in the class, who was rather overweight. it just about broke my and the instructors hearts when this very girl broke down into tears because her costume was entirely too small.
there were 7 days until recital... and not nearly enough time to re-order a costume (which was not possible anyway). I offered to alter the costume for her - since it was too small... this pretty much meant making a new one from scratch.
the sewing on this particular costume was not an easy task, and i must admit that i groused about the amount of work in the short time i had.
ANWAY... to make a long story short... i had the costume ready at dress rehearsal, the day before the recital. when she walked out of the dressing room... with her costume on... she had tears in here eyes... but she was smiling SO HUGE... the costume fit perfectly... and she was beaming! she hugged me and hugged me... and could not stop thanking me...
i cannot describe how good i felt, knowing that i gave that little girl even a moment of feeling "okay"... of feeling like she "fit in" and wasn't that "fat girl" that didn't match the rest of the group.
i'll never forget it... it often amazes me how what seem to be the smallest of things at the time, can be so monumental and meaningful for the people on the receiving end.
good thread... thanks Shokan!