Stand Up and Sing

So there I was, standing, with my hand over my heart, waiting for the national anthem to begin at our wrestling meet against Granite Bay high school.

It had been at least two minutes since the announcer said “Please rise for the national anthem.” They were having problems with the sound system. I could hear them arguing about how to get the song to start.

The 200 people in the gym were getting restless and uncomfortable. I was getting restless and uncomfortable. We were stuck standing there, helpless to do anything about it.

Then, he started singing. Some guy, a normal guy, just like you and me actually started singing the anthem. “Oh say can you see.” The few people standing next to him joined in “By the dawn’s earlly light.” I picked it up at “At the twilight’s last gleaming” and by the time he hit “Whose broad stripes and bright stars” the entire gym had become a chorus.

When the last note was sung, we erupted into applause, for that guy, for ourselves, for America. I can’t remember ever getting goosebumps from the anthem before, but that night I did.

The guy who started the singing was a hero to everybody in attendance. He single-handedly saved the day. Not only did he fix an uncomfortable situation, he actually transformed it into a moment that I will remember for the rest of my life. He made a scene.

Like all heroism, his came at some personal risk. What if had started singing, but nobody joined in?

When most of us are faced with a crisis, we freeze. We look around for someone in authority to save us. We wait to see what happens.

It’s the fear that holds us back. The fear of going against the crowd, of making a scene, of looking stupid, or of failing.

Anybody can transcend those moments by just taking action. It just take awareness, and courage.

I hope that the next time it happens to me, I’m the one who stands up and sings.