I stood anxiously back stage, gripping my instrument in my hands.  The Grade Nine drama class was wrapping up their play about the holidays, and then it would be our band's turn at the holiday concert.  We moved out of the way as the freshmen scuttled offstage, chattering like birds.  "Ready, Paige?" Elaine breathed.

I nodded and whispered, "Yep.  Let's hope this works."

"It'll work, don't worry.  Let's just try to have fun." Elaine assured me.

"And now we have Mr. Walmsley's Grade Ten band performing with the choir." One of the student speakers announced.  As we shuffled onstage I did not think about the reaction my grandparents would have when they heard the songs.  To be honest, I was barely thinking about them at all- I just wanted to play music.  My grandparents were getting along much better these days, and it turns out they have a lot in common.  Grandma and Nana both liked to crochet and knit, Grandpa and Papa both liked bird-watching.  At first I thought that making them see past their differences was an impossible task, but now I see that it was very easy, once I got over the initial process.  So, I knew there would not be a fight about religion in my school, and I was not very nervous at all.

Our band paired beautifully with the choir, not a note was out of tune.  I played the best I could, and I could see that my grandparents enjoyed it.  Papa was giving me the thumbs up and Grandma was nodding her head along to the beat of the music.  And, before I knew it, the concert was over.  We all rushed offstage and I pumped my fists in the air.  We had done it!

The week passed and soon my grandparents were going home, Nana and Papa by taxi, and Grandma and Grandpa by plane.  "See you later, Paigey!" Grandma exclaimed, hugging me.

"Be a good girl, now," Grandpa told me.

Papa wrapped his arm around me.  "See you next year, honey."

"Bye, Paige!" Nana said in her sweet way.  I actually got sad when they left, and that's a first.  Everything seemed so much better than it did in the beginning.  So, to conclude, I don't know what religion I will choose, and the truth is, I don't care.  Having any religion is fine, and having no religion is fine as well.  And that's the lesson I never learned until now.