"Oh to be young again!"

It's been called to my attention that I haven't blogged in awhile. And thought i normally don't "blog on command" (or do much on command for that matter) I thought there would be someone somewhere who'd want to humor me and hear about the latest in the somewhat nomadic existence of a sort of actor/adult in the post-college strange stage of life that i'm in. Let's see...what's new...
Well, it seems I haven't written in the past 1-2 months because I've been tied up with something simply wonderful: MY FIRST PROFESSIONAL ACTING JOB! I must've gotten the offer right around the time that I wrote last but it either slipped my mind or wasn't applicable to the blog. I'm not sure. Either way, since around the 1st of September my miserable time working for the Mouse was replaced by the joys of singing, acting, and musical comedy-ing my way all over a stage. I can't tell you the joy that I experienced realizing I was (about halfway) paying my expenses by simply doing what I loved. And not only has it been fun for me to perform, it's been rewarding talking to the audience members after each performance. In our contracts the cast members agree to do "meet 'n greets" with the audience after each show. So many times during this run I had slow moving elderly people come up to me with smiles spread wide across their faces and say, "You absolutely made my day." "The show was a delight." "It was so wonderful to hear those songs again." "South Pacific is our favorite show and has been for 50 years!" "We met while we were serving during WWII. It was so special to see this show tonight." The sweet comments and warm gratitude filled my chest and watered my eyes many afternoons and nights over the past month. It really is why we do what we do. Not until moments like those am I reminded that all those silver-haired, achey looking people are just that--people. One afternoon a lady came up to me and said "You were so CUTE dancing across that stage! Oh to be young again!" Only her body has aged. In her mind she is just a spry and full of life as I am. I am reminded though that life is a one-time deal. I have to be consistently self-aware and live and love in the knowledge that I only get one. I'm only 22 once. I will be for about 6 more months. We have to ask ourselves questions like: When I'm older will I be satisfied with how I spent my early 20's? Is there anything i wish I could've done? Anywhere I wish I had gone? Anything I wish I hadn't done? Living fully in the present is both a challenge and a gift. I pray all our souls are satisfied with how we've spent our time.