Why do I do…
Before I begin this week’s blog, there were a lot of questions as to whether I got as far down to your comment, and the answer is, yes! I’ve been reading all of the approved comments! The response is fabulous, thank you all so much for participating!
So, for this week’s quote…
by Aristotle
This week I had the privilege of seeing one of the most triumphant performances I have ever experienced. It was so amazing that I went two times in four days. “The Syringa Tree” is a one woman show set in the apartheid era. It is a 100 minute show that takes you on the journey of a 7 year old girl and her experience with her family during a time of civil unrest and violence. The actress, Caroline Cave, portrays 24 characters with such unbelievable conviction you forget you are only watching one person! The story moved me so much that by the end of both performances, I couldn’t stop myself from weeping.
This beautiful gift of art has come at the most fantastic time in my life. I have been walking around really questioning why it is that I act. Why do I do what I do? This play has helped me to answer this question. As an actress, it is my job to find and understand all people, within me. I am paid to dedicate my life to understanding and exploring all the facets of myself that I can possibly access. It is so beautiful to me to recognize that we all have the same basis of humanity. We are all flawed with just as many flaws as anyone else. It is the choices that we make that unearths these imperfections and sets us all apart.
As I began to reach this understanding I had an overwhelming sense of compassion and unity. I am so grateful for my job because everyday I feel as though it provides me with the opportunity to feel that depth of understanding and then…AND THEN to be the facilitator in sharing these human experiences with others. To provide my audience with the opportunity to question and understand these things within themselves is such an unbelievable exchange.
My passion for what I do has increased exponentially after this realization–what a satisfying job to have! Dedicating my life to knowing and understanding myself, and therefore having true compassion for humanity…and getting paid for it?!?! Wow…truly living my dream! I used to do what I do for other people, and honestly I still struggle with that habit, but I am recognizing, slowly, that the more I do for myself, the more I seem to accomplish with the people around me. The greater understanding I have of self the more potent and honest I seem to be in the world. It is an incredibly interesting shift in my life, and I am grateful for all the experiences leading up to this.
I can’t control the way others react to me, but I can control the way I react to others, and ultimately, I can choose to live with joy and compassion regardless of what others think. This feels very scary, and yet, exciting and empowering; all new thoughts that are always shifting and changing!
What are your thoughts?
