This morning I woke up feeling very grateful but also sad. Yesterday was the closing performance of the Wizard of Oz and I am so proud of what we were able to accomplish. As with my last show, I’m trying to remember not to be sad that it’s over, but glad that it happened.
I honestly did not expect this show to be so memorable. I mean, c’mon, it’s the Wizard of Oz. But the production that Limelight Performing Arts Center put together was nothing short of spectacular and I’m so proud to be able to add it to my resume.
I’m thankful for the new friends I made and the old ones I got to reconnect with. I’m also so glad to have another theater community that I can call home.
I’ve been listening to the Elton John song on repeat this morning, realizing the profundity of its lyrics and the central meaning of the show that inspired it. Something I wish I could come to grips with sooner.
You see, I tend to focus on the next thing while missing out on just being in the moment. Very much like Dorothy’s long and winding journey to discover that everything she needed was in her “own backyard,” I realized that family and the life that I have are something to celebrate in the moment, even while still pursuing a dream and enjoying the journey.
My wife deserves all of the credit for how she has supported me in my ridiculous and idealistic dream. We are about to enter another leg of our journey as we prepare to buy a home. Hopefully this will be the end of our transient lifestyle for the foreseeable future and although the prospect of moving yet again seems so incredibly challenging and stressful, I’m praying that I can enjoy each and every moment so I’m not left looking back on lost time, constantly in pursuit of the next big thing.
I feel sad, sure, but that is only because I made more memories to cherish and did something I hold dear and now that experience is over. But a bunch of one-off experiences do not make a life. Being present, living each moment with the people you love, is what life is all about.
