The adventure

I've been reliving the adventure that my family had been on since my girls have discovered theater.  There have been so many skills gained or polished; friends that have become like family; experiences - the memories of which will last them a lifetime that I can't begin to understand how great and how far the influence will carry.  I know some folks view theater, and the arts as a whole, as a waste of time but I have to say that I wholeheartedly disagree.  The poise, confidence, public presence and ease of presentation are tools that will benefit them for the rest of their lives no matter what they decide to do.  The theater brings them in contact with a vast array of people and worldviews that strengthens their ability to defend what they believe.  It teaches understanding and tolerance...not to condone conduct or beliefs that they don't agree with but to be loving, examples of the lifestyle they've chosen.
It's been so much fun watching them grow like "Little Women" with their costume closet and repertoire of dialogue and songs that may be launched at any given moment.  It keeps me young and allows me to share in their adventures, be it sword fighting or ballroom dancing, wearing a beaver costume or military fatigues, talking like a gopher, singing and dancing with fairytale characters, living in a shoe or wiping barroom tables in period clothing while a lonely woman sings the blues.  So, yeah, it's been fun.  And I never would have had the chance to be a part of all of this if it hadn't been for my love of literature, of classic tales that piqued my imagination and drew me into other worlds.  Because I think I passed that love down to my girls and as I shared those stories with them it brought their imaginations to life in a way that has given them a much greater appreciation than I alone ever could have.  I'm still a sucker for a happy ending...especially when it comes to romantic fairytales but I can also appreciate some of the deeper, touching stories as well.  Even Poe.  Well, maybe a little.