A Small But Powerful Moment

I'm going to get really niche and reveal something about my childhood at the same time with this post. Most people won't be interested in this, and some will probably think I'm being silly (I will admit to probably overthinking the whole thing), but that's okay. I just want to write the post and if it's only ever for me, I'm okay with that.

I did not grow up watching TV but I did grow up with the High School Musical trilogy. I have special memories attached to each one and I still enjoy watching them to this day. And the music! I can happily put the soundtracks on and instantly get in a good mood. Yes, they are cheesy but I don't care.

In the last few months, I had the desire to watch all three "in a row", meaning closely together. As I was watching the first one, I was struck by a moment that is just a blink, not even a full scene, but it hit me and I have kept thinking about it ever since. This moment is when Troy helps Kelsi collect her music.

What Happens
Kelsi has just been beaten down by Sharpay and her confidence is very low. To add insult to injury, she trips getting up from the piano bench and her music goes EVERYWHERE. Troy and Gabriella are there and Troy instantly bolts to the stage to help her. This is the first thing that stood out. He acts out of instinct. Out of the core of who he is. It's not in his nature to see someone who needs help and not offer assistance. He's not the kind of guy to do something just to impress someone.

As he's helping Kelsi collect her music, he shows her how she is SEEN. Her she is, a girl who is always in the background, pretty much invisible, and not only is the star of the school helping her and talking to her, but he knows who she is! She can't even talk, just nod in answer to his questions. But it gets better.

Troy gently asks Kelsi why she doesn't stand up to Sharpay. After all, he says, there would be no show without Kelsi. Sure, she's not on stage, but she is the one who makes everyone look good. She's the "playmaker", to use the basketball language Troy is familiar with.

With this short and simple interaction, Troy infuses confidence into Kelsi. She is seen, validated, and heard. Someone is showing belief in her and it changes her. We see this grow over the rest of the movie and series, but this is the spark.

What Now?
You might be thinking, "so what?" This is such a small moment in the movie and I've just processed it far beyond what was ever intended. But I think it's important. I know that this jumped out to me know because I'm similar to Kelsi and I've experienced my own moments of being "seen" in recent years that have done so much for my own confidence. I can definitively say that it matters when you make someone feel seen, validated, and let them feel heard. The thing is, you probably will never know that you've done it. But if you are speaking to the person who stays on the outside, making space for someone to talk who usually doesn't, or just encouraging the people in your life on a regular basis, you will probably end up doing this for the people around you. And it can be a game changer for them. I know it has been for me.


I would love to hear your thoughts on this! Have you had an experience like Kelsi, or maybe you can think of a time when you were like Troy. Or maybe you think I'm totally nuts :) Let's chat about it!

Photos are not mine. All credit to the owners.