A week of performances...

I have found that it is impossible to experience anything now without viewing it through the lens of motherhood. Whether good or bad, I think there is no going back.

With the weekend starting, I decided to squeeze in a quick Piccolo Spoletto performance before the festival ends this weekend. I look forward to Spoletto all year and try to get to at least one performance each season. I dropped LB off at the Children's Museum with a sitter and hauled down Meeting Street arriving hot and winded at the Footlight Players in just enough time to find my seat. I have always enjoyed the Dance at Noon series because it allows you to see a variety of different styles and schools as well as support young artists. This year, while sitting in the cool, dark auditorium watching the high school dancers; my mind floated back to how much dance has always meant to me. There was a shorter girl in the front row who couldn't help but share her love of dance with the huge smile she was beaming. I wondered how much she practiced and whether dance was a "popular" hobby at her high school.How many Saturdays had she spent at her studio? DId her mother wait in the car or come in and watch? There was only one male in the entire company--strong and handsome, I wondered too if he caught any slack from friends for being a male dancer. And then I remembered how much I used to love performing on stage and how dance was such an outlet for me--in my teen years when everything seems difficult and then just for fun as I moved on into my twenties.

Suddenly, I felt so proud of these kids and how hard they had worked and what a big deal it must be for them to be performing in Charleston for the festival. And then, because these lenses are permanently screwed in, how proud their parents must be. And then I thought of how next year Loulie can come with me. And I wonder if she will love dance as much as I do. And before I knew it, I was all choked up and teary eyed in the cold, dark auditorium watching these kids perform.

Which is EXACTLY why I LOVE dance--because if performed well, a piece will always evoke some kind of emotion from the audience. And then a mother "woohoo"ed! And everyone cheered and one of the dancers started smiling bigger.

 I don't know if Loulie will love dance as much as her mother or even more but I can't wait to see what God places on her little heart to be passionate about. If it is not dance, then I can't wait to learn all about what she gets into. Because I can promise you this, whether dance or soccer or cross country or challenge of the gladiators; I will always be the mother obnoxiously "woohooing" in the back!

Just like I did last Wednesday...

(yes, that is me in the background along with Bert shamelessly yelling "Go Loulie WOOO.")

Dang--and now I am teary eyed again. 

Have a Happy Weekend!