Theater

 So, part of what had to go last week was all of my theater stuff. I LOVED directing plays. It was one of the most tumultuous, exhilarating,, maddening, wonderful times of my life. I fell into it. My daughter loved to perform and ended up doing little kids theater and then kids and then big kids, dragging my son into it too. One of my favorite moments was when she was a black widow spider and my son was the exterminator.... Oh how I loved that costume. Once she was Little Red Riding Hood and he was the Baker in Into the Woods. Her SCREAM and him trying to shush her just felt like home. 

I started out just making crazy costumes, then became the mom who runs behind stage to try and help the kids, ended up as asst. producer, artistic director (which I absolutely loved), and then director (oy). It was only because I could not stand to see a kid uncomfortable on stage. One of the worst moments was my 14 year old son as Harold Hill having to pretend to be in love... ugh. It was only his 2nd play, and he had never had a girlfriend. I was irritated with the director, who had also never been in love and had no clue how to direct it. Ugh. Next thing you know, I'm in charge.

This is before I knew what an empath was. I literally squirmed and ached when kids weren't in the right role to showcase their talents, and I had very little to do with those choices. One of my greatest moments was opening night was when a patron came up and gushed, "OMG, what a stroke of genius to make the lead sing off key!!! So perfect for the role!!!". I just smiled and nodded, knowing that the real feat would've been to make him sing ON KEY, but that's called perfect casting...

I was thinking this morning about perfect casting. Landing in the perfect  place at the perfect time. Not trying to force something that isn't in your nature, but working with what you have. I had a business partner who hated the expression BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED. Personally, I loved it. She felt it was limiting, like you couldn't move or change things, you were basically stuck where you were. Being a gardener (and an epic furniture mover), I always took it as the conditions do not have to be perfect to bloom. And, if they aren't, then you can always transplant. 

I would never have thought I would be planted as a director. A yoga teacher. A reiki master. That was not the garden I started in. But when the seeds landed, and the roots took hold, I bloomed. We created a new garden filled with beautiful flowers, many who I am best friends with still, many kids who are now parents, many who I had the privilege of officiating their weddings. Ahhh, theater....

Was it perfect? NO. Did I make the most of it? YES. Plants are really not that finicky. I mean sure, if you need to be some prima donna rare orchid, it's going to require better conditions to bloom. But if you are okay being an african violet, you can pretty much survive, bloom and thrive in less than ideal conditions. 

Speaking of, does anyone want some african violets? I had 3, and now have 9. All blooming. Even though they kinda hate the beach. But, a little love, a little nurturing, some dirt. Perfect casting?

There's some major messages here. Just saying.