Waiting or Becoming?

Last weekend, I spent six hours in two theatres in Stratford.

One story was about waiting. The other was about change.

By the drive home, I realized those might be the only two stories any of us ever really live.

Some of us spend years waiting. We hope something will change. A relationship. A career. Our circumstances. Ourselves. We tell ourselves that maybe tomorrow will be different. Sometimes it is. More often, tomorrow looks a lot like today.

And then there are the moments when we decide we're ready for something different. We start paying closer attention to ourselves. We notice what gives us energy and what leaves us feeling depleted. We become curious about the patterns in our lives instead of accepting them as permanent. We start to imagine that tomorrow doesn't have to look exactly like today.

Both plays had something to teach me.

The first reminded me that if we never slow down, we may never hear the whisper trying to guide us. There was very little plot, yet there was plenty of space. Space to notice, to think. to listen. It made me wonder how often I fill every quiet moment instead of leaving room for that still, small voice.

The second reminded me that hearing the whisper isn't enough.

At some point, we have to move.

Growth doesn't happen because we wish for it. It happens when we choose it. Often through one conversation, one decision, or one small act of courage that nudges us toward the life we're meant to live.

The two productions were Waiting for Godot and Guys and Dolls. They couldn't have been more different, but together they reminded me that both listening and action have their place.

If we never slow down, we may never hear the whisper.

If we never act, the whisper changes nothing.

Maybe the life we're hoping for begins with making space to listen, and then having the courage to take the next step.

Until next week,

Tamara