The View from the Stage – if the Audience Only Knew

The local Ice Cream Social is coming up soon, a big fundraiser for the Art Center. As part of that event we will be singing, hopefully to the enjoyment of those who come. The performance is what all of the practice and preparation lead up to, and yet it is really just the tip of the iceberg, that tiny fraction sticking out of the water that everyone can see. It is what happens underneath the water, in the rehearsals – that is where the real stories live. But, I sometimes wish the audience only knew a few of the insider stories that occur during practices.

There is laughter, silly faces, and some awful notes that occur during practice. It is where we can laugh at our mistakes and correct them. There is joy and effort, support and trust as we know through a gesture or look to change the range of harmony, repeat a line or switch the lead. Three dogs roam around at the same time, sitting on feet and “singing” along with enthusiasm. Lyrics become more familiar and details like clean word endings become the focus of attention. Songs chosen because of lyrics actually gain small stories of their own from how they are arranged, changed and finalized.

All of these little rabbit trails occur, and pop into my mind as I face the audience later. They only really get to see such a tiny part of the whole. 

Practicing Patience Makes For….

   Practice makes perfect, and I’m practicing patience. Somehow, I’ve not arrived at perfect patience yet. Patience, so elusive, and yet desirable to have. Why? Because it will make things smoother or less stressful? Because it is a virtue? Can’t I just have patience – you know, right now this instant? I’m practicing patience with a knee injury. A stumble in November still leaves me with a knee that is now taped, braced, and iced on a daily basis with physical therapy exercises to do. They urge me in physical therapy to have patience, it takes time to rebuild muscle. Arrrggghhh!!! I want to not hurt, to be able to trust the next step.

   So, in the middle of physical therapy exercises, and the restraint not to just throw the tape in the trash, I’m trying to practice patience. Practice, keep trying, forward movement that is intentional though not always perfect. Hopefully this will be something that is fixed soon and I can toss the tape and put away the brace. But in the meantime, I will be attempting to continue the practice of patience and put away the grumbling.

Practicing Gratitude

   I’ve been working on not grumbling with some limited success. I may not be as quick to grumble out loud, but it is often still in my mind. So, with that literally in mind, I’ve started a different tactic. While I will continue to work on not grumbling, I am working on having a grateful heart.

   Why not grumble? Why not moan and complain? Why not mumble at the computer and at the phone and at the pile of things I need to get done? Why not be a grouch when people don’t read the directions or are grumpy first? Well, probably because I need to have a heart that is grateful and to be aware that the direction not-readers or the grumpy people might have their own difficulties going on. The computer is just a piece of technology and my grumbling at it probably won’t help. I may wish to unplug the phone, but I’m grateful for the technology.
   I don’t want to grumble because I want my attitude be such that others can see something positive in me. Attitudes are contagious, I want to share a positive attitude.