Musicals, Anyone?

The Annual Needle Stick

Today I endured the annual “blood- letting” ordered by my doctor. 

In preparation, I consumed “mucha agua”, a giant intake of water to artificially pump up my microscopic veins. 

Although I’ve donated blood throughout the years, I was turned away from one blood bank because my veins were too small…a blood bank reject. I’ve always envied those men, my father being one, who touted gigantic veins almost begging to be punctured.

Oliver

On the way to the doctor, I heard a song on the radio from the musical “Oliver”. I’ve always loved musicals. One of my parents must have been a Broadway” wanna-be” because Broadway musicals flooded the airways of my childhood home.

The song that captured my attention was “As Long As He Needs Me”.

As I listened to the lyrics, it struck me. This song is about life purpose. Her purpose, at least in her estimation, was taking care of her man. 

Taking care of him gave her life meaning. Maybe it’s even what she lives for…what gets her out of bed in the morning and gives her a feeling of relevance, importance, belonging, and drive. 

Where would she be without this sense of purpose? We can only guess. But if you listen to the song, her voice conveys a high level of conviction. She’s married, maybe literally, to this belief. You get the feeling she’s not going anywhere anytime soon. 

She’s a lucky woman, and in that sense we should all be so lucky. We should all have the have a reason to get out of bed, feel excited about our lives and our futures, and above all, feel  relevant.

Even if it takes some digging, discovering your purpose lowers depression and amplifies joy. 

Pippin

I’ve always loved the song, “Corner of the Sky” from Pippin. I imagine it’s about seeking out your purpose. 

Because most people have a purpose that involves helping others in some way, it’s beneficial on both accounts.

I guess what I’m suggesting is there are many paths leading to your purpose, including the messages from musicals. 

So, which path is calling your name?

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My Kittens Are Life Coaches

The Babies
In recent weeks I adopted two kittens. I can only describe the experience as frenetic energy on steroids, and in several ways, they’re changing my life.
 
Here’s an example. I usually eat breakfast in bed. It’s the closest thing I can muster to an actual vacay at a real Bed and Breakfast. I wasn’t aware that honey toast was a feline favorite, but my kitten thought this was dessert. I was suddenly fighting the cat for the toast. It was hard to retain ownership. This wasn’t the relaxing breakfast I was accustomed to.  
 
I needed a Plan B, which meant eating at an actual table in my living room. The cats didn’t have the same advantage from this venue. 
 
My Lightbulb Moment
Giving up my vacay breakfast seemed like a huge sacrifice at first. But then, I noticed that the view of the trees and greenery from this vantage was scenic! What had I been missing?  All of a sudden, I was seeing my house from an entirely new angle. Instead of watching the morning news, I was looking at nature.
 
I’ve been bragging to friends about going minimalist, and these cats are forcing me in that direction at record speed. For instance, the other night I was awakened by the sound of something being destroyed in the kitchen. It was midnight, and I was soon cleaning up the pieces of a broken vase.
 
I didn’t need those artificial flowers anyway, so I threw them in the Goodwill pile.

I suddenly had two little assistants in my minimalist army. 
 
Covid
The Pandemic has pretty much frozen us in time. Although we may long for the good old days when we could leave the house, the truth is we’re stuck in a Groundhog Day simulation of the present. The present is all we have. We may as well make the most of it.
 
For example, I have a new appreciation for my house. If I didn’t already live here, I think I’d move here. 
 
I’m truly seeing things from a different angle.
 
And all this from eating breakfast at my dining room table.