We all have been there wanting and wishing we would get the job, part, opportunity, raise, score or grade to make everything better. Well, life does not work that way. We cannot script it or plan it in our favor. In fact, it rarely works out in the way one thinks.
Scene 1
My daughter auditioned for the school play. The last couple of years she has not gotten the part she wanted. But, this year was going to be different. A year older and with some experience under her belt, she was convinced it would work in her favor.
Scene 2
The audition. A solid effort. She felt confident she delivered. Now, we wait for the the cast list.
Scene 3
The parts are posted. Scrolling, scrolling, scrolling through the names. Found it! Hmmm….
Not what we expected. Not even close. She got the part of…wait for it…the dog. Yes, the dog. No lines. Just barking.
Scene 4
Disappointment sets in. Another year. Same chorus as before…”they only give the animal parts to the small kids.” (If you have read my blog before, this might sound familiar.)
Scene 5
Onward. A more resilient and mature response to the crying and flailing on the bed that ensued in previous years. Keep in mind, this is a measured kid who typically bounces back so the prior response was atypical. This time she got there a lot faster. Progress.
Scene 6
Practices, preparation and more practices.
Scene 7
This dog thing is not so bad. The pressure is off. Costume is cute. Dog ears are adorable. But more importantly, deep friendships are forming. She realized that her castmates were rallying around her, kids in her class and older ones alike. She actually is expected to get quite a bit of stage time. A tight theater group was forming. Special connections, hours on end of togetherness, and more creative “make believe” play at recess ignited something from within and made it all worth it.
Scene 8
This pup was the pick of the pack and did a brilliant job. She had presence and remembered all of her cues. It all comes down to what one does with what is served up. Our doggy owned it yet again (woof, woof woof)!!!
Curtain Call
What does this teach us? We must keep our hearts open to new possibilities and opportunities. We cannot allow ourselves to get down or discouraged when things do not appear to go our way. If we opt out or choose to be negative, we will miss out on rich, valuable life changing experiences. Embrace it. Own it. Be grateful to be there. One thing leads to another. As a result of showing up and being all in, a close circle of friends formed. As a bonus, our daughter honed her listening skills and knew everyone’s lines in the end. Another silver lining.
It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there, but every dog must have its day.
Break a leg!
