All the World's a Stage

(From January of 2014)

"All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts"


Shakespeare's right.  Within our daily lives we play so many roles.  In one week I will be a teacher, mentor, colleague, learner, friend, "auntie", daughter, actress, singer, home owner, gardener, consumer, attempted softball player - the list goes on and on.  No one fulfills just one role in his/her life.  As we try and make our way through our own life story, we also find ourselves as supporting players, antagonists, sidekicks, and chorus members in other's lives.  In many ways we juggle multiple shows simultaneously; hopefully not forgetting too often which performance is currently in production.


In a truly balanced world, we would be able to focus most of our energy on the show where we are a principle lead - our own story.  Our supporting roles would then be next on the list of time consumption.  These are our responsibilities - to guide our friends or try and combat our foes in their own productions.  And of course we have occasional cameos or walk on roles with those who we don't really know.  Sometimes our lines are throw away and sometimes we are scene stealers.


Right now my life production is in a holding pattern.  I feel like a few scenes are under my belt, but we are at intermission and there is no direction for the second act.  Frequently I have a trip or something to look forward to during the summer which may provide some type of possibility.  But this summer is pretty bare.  I am going to try and change that situation, but I don't know if that will happen.


And though there isn't much progress with my show, what hurts the most is that appearance wise, everyone around me is developing Academy Award winning scripts.  New additions to families, creations of families, finding partners, changes in jobs - these all lend themselves to better stories.  And I am proud to be a part of these stories.  I am so happy for my friends who are having babies.  I am honored to be close enough to throw baby showers for these wonderful mamas and daddies.  


I just wonder the inevitably cliched question - when is it my turn?  When do I get to have a wedding or baby shower?  When will people I know become supporting characters in my life story?  Will I get to have a leading role one of these days, especially in my own life story?  Sometimes I equate this with roles I have played in the theater.  I have yet to really have a "lead" role (though in Pump Boys and Dinettes all 7 of us were essentially the principals) and I sometimes struggle with this.  I know the reality - I am not the ingenue, the romantic lead, the soprano who can hit every high note.  But I am also a pretty good comedienne and I do have a strong messo-soprano voice

Frequently I feel like the actor in my own life story - not the director.