Finding Time For Your Passions

 I recently attended an Elton John tribute show with a friend. Her husband played Elton, and did an amazing job! On the way to the show, Shelley was telling me about Ed's love of music and how after a bit of a hiatus he got back into it a few years ago. It's always been a passion and he decided to act on that. He has performed with various bands or on his own and is even teaching music lessons now.

What struck me when I saw the show was the effort that went into pulling it off. It wasn't just the 2 hour show that I saw that night. There were weekly rehearsals with the band, hours spent coming up with costume changes and hunting down just the right elements to create those costumes. A labour of love for sure.

And what did Ed and his friends get from this experience? Well, they certainly are not going to make it rich from the ticket sales. They will be lucky to break even after paying a sound guy, lighting guy and renting the theatre. What they will get from the experience is the satisfaction of doing something they love and fulfilling the passion that is within them.

I found this inspirational. Many times life gets to be so busy just keeping up with daily demands, you forget about the things that you once loved doing and that give you so much satisfaction. I know I have definitely felt this way.

So, when I got a phone call from a guy I used to do improv with, I accepted the invitation to join them on stage! Yes...it's true. I used to do improv, back in my high school/college days with a group called "No Laughing Matter". I never really considered myself to be the funniest in the group or the most outrageous, but it was something I really enjoyed doing. The group disbanded and 2 of the members reconnected a few years ago as "The Fidgets".

So, I agreed that I would be a part of the show. I was a little nervous before my first rehearsal as it had been 13 years since I had done improv in any form. (other than improvising my daily life) But after stepping on the stage with John and Dave I realized I was excited to be back at it.

I'm looking forward to the show on Friday night. It's at Victoria Playhouse in Petrolia at 8pm if you'd like to attend. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door.