Being There

Early on purpose, settled in a good chair and comfortable , it was irritating to have forgotten my book. Not only without a book, I was without my journal or my notebook, let alone my laptop. All my usual writing and reading gear was left at home tonight rather than stuffed into my purse. Instead of filling time with my usual habits of reading and writing, I was focused instead on being there, in the moment, and on time for the play’s final performance.

Stage mother all the way, I was anticipating how tonight’s show would go but confident it would turn out just fine for my son’s cast and crew. The length of time I found myself waiting on my own in the lobby pre-show seemed to be significant without  the usual distractions. Attending theatre with my retired friends or with my son my time is spent in sightseeing, conversations and eating out. However, I often go on my own on the spur of the moment,grabbing a deal on rush seats and trying out a wide variety of theatre that might not appeal to my usual companions.

Tonight, however, on my own my focus was on just listening to what was going on all around me and also trying to simply concentrate on seeing things I might normally overlook. This activity reminded me of the sensory games I used to play with my kindergarten students at nap time and invariably as I quietly lead the restful meditation someone would get the giggles and the mood was broken.

Tonight it was just me, waiting in the comfortable chair, anticipating and concentrating. To list the sensory experiences I would have had my notebook handy so  that isn’t possible. It is enough to have been there, in the moment and unplugged.

As it turned out my son and his friends joined me in the theatre and the show was as wonderful as it was the other three times I saw it last week. What I noticed though this time was all the little things, the subtle things of a closing night, the increased power in the voices and the extra oompf in the performances, the bigger smiles, the wink and a  tear in an actor’s eye. Tonight, I had been paying attention and it was worth every penny.

Advertisement