This is a deeply personal goal of mine and has been for 23 years. I was never interested in theatre until I went to high school and if fact as a child, all I remembered I wanted to be was a doctor. I wish I could have gone back to that 7 year old kid and say "honey, you need to be good at chemistry... And you won't be." Just so I would give up that idea for a more brilliant one. Mind you, I never thought I would run my own business with a team of over 160 people, who's mission it is to see every woman feel good about their skin, inside and out. You can't change the roads you travel in the past can you? But as I get older, I have mellowed about some of those desired roads and become passionate with a refined focus on others. Almost sounds like I'm growing up but hold judgement until the end because I assure you, I'm not and I'm super happy about it.
I have an intimate relationship with the theatre because for me, the theatre gives an adult, who has grown up into an analytical mind with bills to pay, a job to go to and a family to raise, a chance to re-visit their imagination and their creativity... I call this childhood. Though the word 'theatre' was never used growing up, my childhood years were spent in a fantastical make believe place. I was so happy there. I was never NOT happy there. In that place, I WAS a doctor. Or Librarian. Or business owner. I've always had this inkling that even though it is rare for a child to grow up and BE the person they saw in their imagination, it does nonetheless, shape their future. Even when the conscious mind is still not fully formed, the subconscious mind and their make believe world rules the roost! How many adults visit THAT happy place outside of dreaming while they sleep? Kids have totally got the best deal there. They will soon learn right from wrong and make decisions out of those lessons... But as adults.. We still make wrong decisions and sadly, we also don't frequent our happy place very often. It's a bad deal and I for one don't choose it.
For you see, the reason why my imagination ran wild into believing I could be a doctor was simply because I spent a lot of time growing up, in and out of hospitals. And the truth of my make believe (and there always is one) is that I knew more about what was going on in my body than the doctors that treated me.. I just didn't have the voice to express it. So, if I was to be a doctor, I would have a voice. The truth was that I longed to have a voice in this world. That's all I wanted.. To be listened to. To be respected. I wanted someone to say "I hear you Vickie, and I'm going with your suggestion." It's a truth and a desire I still look for today. I want to make sure I have contributed to this world before I leave it.
It wasn't adulthood that helped me refine my focus on which roads to choose in life, it was high school drama. Clinging to my childhood ideals, I entered high school almost like a punch h in the face. Welcome to the cold hard reality of schedules and homework and exams. But in the clearing, just past the blur of early morning rises and races to the school bus, was drama class. Just when my daydreaming was over, drama class allowed me to explore again into the world of creativity and imagination. It was more refined now, with specific outcomes, but it was still my happy place. Truthfully, my refined happy place has taught me how to refine so many goals much later in life. Who knew that silly little drama class, the one people take because it's an easy pass and they don't give exams, who knew that drama would shape so much of my adult life?! I did... I had that moment, when I was 16 years old.
It was the first major show I had tickets for. I went with my Mum and neither of us knew what to expect. Evita is a musical about Eva Peron. We had no idea who she was and almost 2 minutes after the curtain was opened, the storyline was lost on us. That was, until the 2nd half when we rushed through the synopsis in the programme. In that first half, all I could do was watch and listen and experience this magical thing before me. I was taken away by it. Before I closed my eyes that night, I decided that I wanted to be on that stage. Even more, I wanted to be on Broadway. The stage is another world... I didn't need to perform on it... I just wanted to walk across it, walk into it, be enveloped by it.. If just for a few moments.
The following year I got my first part and was given a small role in a major production, performing at the regent theatre. The regent theatre in Dunedin is without a doubt, my favourite theatre. And throughout the rest of my life so far, Broadway has been there... In the background... Waiting for me.
When I joined Nutrimetics almost 13 years ago, I decided I needed to get to Broadway before my 40th birthday. This once in a lifetime trip was going to be supported by my Nutrimetics business. Of course, then life gets in the way and I went down a couple of roads I wished I hadn't travelled. All the while, Nutrimetics was there, in the background, keeping company with my Broadway stage. For 11 years it remained there, until in 2014, I made my move. I was ready to pursue my Nutrimetics career and business and I was long overdue for a trip to New York. If this happens only once in my life, I reasoned, it MUST happen now.
I am now 39 years old so earlier this year I booked my flights to NYC. This is the BIG one. Or so I thought... Until Nutrimetics recently announced that their big trip next year, is NEW YORK!!! I'm still in tears over the thought that my once in a life time trip could happen twice and within 10 months of each other... I'm practically a local! I have a big challenge to achieve this trip and I won't be doing it alone... But I can feel it! And, because I'm still, thankfully, a child at heart, I can make believe it happens! I'm there, for the second time in my life. The stage door opens for me, the curtains are open. I walk across and take my bow. And if you reader, are with me... You will also witness... the moment I feel I have been heard. The moment I acknowledge myself . The moment I experience the joy of just... being.. me.
I can't wait.
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