the message is always the same

(Paperback)

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It was a Tuesday night, and I was heading home from seeing my beautiful and talented friend, Liz, perform her musical, "Bike Shop." I experienced a moment of awe when I saw the stage, and of course, when Liz came out and welcomed the crowd. An hour and change of all dialogue and singing...all her. The sense of gratitude that I felt did not surprise me, as I took it all in: I'm here, in a small theater in the east village, watching my friend perform, with another friend I met in the basement of the 83rd Street Crunch, and all of this is possible because I made a change in my life that I knew was absolutely essential...and a little scary. It took me a while to get there, and I thank God, the universe, and various others daily for putting me exactly where I need (and needed) to be.

I had met my new friend, Michelle, at the theater, but we were able to head home in the same direction. Steps from the L train, I noticed a star, which made me pause as we hurried down the stairs. I turned to her and said, "I'll be right there, I just need to take a picture." (As a new friend, she wasn't yet aware that I say this with frequency.)

Michelle asked what the picture was, and I showed her. "How on earth did you see that" was her response, and I smiled, having heard this before. "It's a sign I get from my dad, stars." I left it there, because I wasn't sure I had the energy to get into the story of my dad on a hot, humid Tuesday night on the train. I'm reminded too, that not everyone needs to know.

Those moments, they're worth paying attention to. But it's this delicate balance, right Of both being in the moment, and paying attention to that moment. It seems like a bit of a contradiction, but I think it's more about the observer that is within all of us, just for a moment going, "Hey! This is important" followed almost immediately with "Okay, I'll let you get back to that now."

Author Bio

I am so grateful for music, and for lyrics like these that make you wish you were part of them. For the fierce assertions, the heartbreaking sentiments, the rawness, the vulnerability, the connection. Have I known some of these words since 1980 No wonder they awaken all sorts of sentimentality. I might even call it wistfulness. Wait...nostalgia.