What a Retired Choir Director Taught Me About Writing

Do you ever sit in front of your keyboard, stare at the worn-out keys and wonder if anything you write will ever make a difference to anyone?

Sometimes I do.

I think everyone asks themselves this type of questions at some point. We all wonder if the tasks we do – whether related to writing or any role we play in life – will leave a lasting positive impression. We wonder whether we’re serving our purpose. 

These kinds of musings can anchor us down and drive worry, or they can inspire us to be the best we can be. I choose inspiration, so I want to tell you today about a recent celebration I was blessed to observe for someone who probably asked himself those very same questions.

We gathered in a small Oklahoma town to celebrate the 80^th birthday of a man named Mr. Moore. Mr Moore taught choir for thirty years. Over those thirty years, he taught close to 900 students how to make music. My husband was one of them.

Music was Mr. Moore’s ministry, and through it, he taught his high schoolers life lessons. Some of the testimonials I heard over the weekend from my husband and his classmates included stories of Mr. Moore’s high expectations. He drove the kids to work hard because he believed excellence was within their grasp, if they would only reach for it. He taught them to have respect for themselves and others by demonstrating accountability for their mistakes. He played music for them, introducing their young ears to inspiring classical works from opera to spirituals to the Battle Hymn of the Republic. And He showed them how, with work and reverence, they could transform notes on a page into an expression of their souls.

From 1966 to 1996, this teacher taught 900 students in the public school system. A number of those students stayed in Oklahoma, but many of them left for destinations across the globe. Some of them went on to enjoy careers in music or music education, and sharing with the next generations what they’d learned from Mr. Moore. Those students reached an estimated audience of more than 42 million people.

Think about that.

Year by year, student by student, Mr. Moore planted little seeds of life in his classes that grew to reach 42 million souls. What started in 1966 as a small high school choir with 30 students became a legacy of love. At this reunion celebration, more than 600 of his former students returned to Oklahoma from around the country to celebrate him.

What does any of this have to do with writing for middle grade readers? I’ll tell you.

Sometimes sitting down to write is easy. The words flow, the critique groups are encouraging, and life is good. Right? But other times it’s difficult. Those times are when you wonder if anyone will ever read those words you wrestled to the page.

I’m not a betting person, but if I was, I’d wager Mr. Moore had similar types of days. I think there may have been rough moments when he wondered if any of his efforts mattered. Maybe he prayed for inspiration, guidance and wisdom before he walked into the classroom just like I pray for those same gifts before I touch the keyboard.

I guarantee you he didn’t teach because he expected a giant “thank you” party twenty-some odd years after his retirement. He taught music because he was called to teach it. He was faithful each day and was blessed to see some of the fruit of his efforts many years later.

We may think that we are shouting our words into the wind and that our efforts have little or no consequence. But even if only one person ever reads our work, that one person carries a piece of it with them to share with others. That can mushroom into a legacy you never dreamed possible. Just ask Mr. Moore.

Kell McKinney earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and an M.S. in documentary studies from the University of North Texas. She’s a part-time copywriter, double-time mom and wife, and spends every free minute writing and/or hunting for her car keys. Connect with her on Twitter @Kell_McK or kellmckinney.com.