I’ve had a couple of neat experiences recently that I think may be related in obscure ways, to do with relationships, and connections, and being open to possibility.
First, after 12 years offstage, I have stepped back into the world of theater. My daughter’s art teacher also happens to work sets for a local community theater, and my wife heard her telling one of the other parents that they were doing South Pacific and desperately seeking more men for the ensemble, even after auditions. This was a week or two after I had expressed a desire to get back into theater in some form, so they talked and got me in touch with the production manager, who said just come on down to the first reading… long story short, after the read-through the director started handing me bit parts, so I’m now playing five or six different very small roles in this show (which I have always loved!) and they are already talking to me about the summer season.
Bearing in mind that while I have spoken in public a fair bit, and sung for decades both semi-professionally and in various volunteer choirs, I have never actually acted before – and they know this – the whole experience definitely gives me the feeling that I am aligning myself with the current of the universe again. :)
And then there’s the other thing – this past weekend we caught up with old friends, a couple from our UU church whom we have not seen in 2-3 years since they moved away in search of work… they are back in the area now, and *he* surprised me by telling me that we had helped change his life! One night, back in the day, we had had them over for dinner and to watch one of my favorite movies, Ushpizin; talking about it afterward, the husband mentioned that he had always been curious about Judaism but never took the step of actually learning about it, so we invited them to shul with us… nothing dramatic happened at the time, but he told me this weekend that something just clicked with him that night (a feeling I know well there!), and he kept looking into it as they moved around – and a couple of cities later went ahead and took the plunge and converted.
So, I guess it’s true that there’s really no telling what little thing you do or say may have a profound effect on someone!
sightless among miracles 