You know the first mention of this concept was in Praying for Your Enemies. This encounter mainly focused on what happened in elementary school and how mom taught me this valuable lesson.
I am loving watching the new show on TV called SMASH! Love it! This past weeks episode felt a little close to home. Now, I wasn't ever on Broadway...but the behavior of the character Ivy to the character Karen brought back all to familiar feelings of what it is like to be hated because you are talented at something.
See it was my freshman year and I was going to audition for the school musical. I was pumped. Before every audition my mom would remind me that it would be an honor to just get to open the grand drape. Anything they would allow me to do I should consider and honor. This had been drilled into me since I began auditioning for shows in 3rd grade. The show was 42nd Street. An old timey, tap show...great production numbers...fun ensemble roles...and a particular lead role that seemed...well a bit far fetched. I made call backs (I still remember what I as wearing that day). The cast list was posted. I walked down the hall to the choir room...upper class-men kind of parted ways for me with a few glances that weren't the most kind...I got it...the lead...as a freshman.
I called home shrieking telling my mom...she was shrieking too...it was very exciting. I'm not sure if it was over the weekend or not, but the choir teacher (who I still love to this day) called my mom just to inform her of the back lash that she was getting for casting me in the lead. She had been fielding one awful phone call after another from angry mothers/fathers b/c their child had been slighted the role...and even more that a freshman had gotten it. My teacher just wanted my mom and dad to know so they could prepare me for what would probably await me at the first rehearsal. We talked about me stepping down from the role...but all of us agreed that that wasn't the solution. I had earned it, and should keep it.
The first day was well...it was awful! I had mostly kind people around me...but there were these girls who just hated me. I had never felt hated before. They would talk behind my back...they wouldn't talk to me...I just kept my head down and worked really hard so there would be no reason to say I hadn't done well.
This behavior toward me continued even to the last week before the show and we were blocking the curtain call. Now this is a big deal. Usually, the leads of the show go last. Some of the upper class-men had the nerve to walk up to the director and complain about when they were bowing in comparison to me. He stormed out of the auditorium...it was a big ta-do. I couldn't believe their behavior. I prayed mine would never be described as that. I prayed that the Lord would give me grace under pressure, and that my mouth would never sound like theirs.
Needless to say the curtain call got blocked...I bowed last with the other lead of the show. The upper class-men still hated me. But I learned another valuable lesson in praying for your enemies. How to work hard in a hostile situation. How to finish something with excellence when others are cheering for your failure.
I am thankful for that freshman year experience. I am thankful the directors saw something in me that said Peggy Sawyer. I can still do that time step combination it was so drilled into my head. I am thankful for what the stage taught me about team work, individual work, working with ALL different personality types...and how to use your gifts when others want you to step down.
I pray that I am able to encourage my children when they face adversity in the way my parents did. That I might be taught to pray for them. To work my heart out so my job is done with excellence, and no one would have anything to say about it. And to keep my mouth shut and not stoop to the level of those around me and say things that I know nothing about. Reader what are you teaching your children in the face of adversity? Press on. You are doing a good work and you can not come down from it.
No comments:
Post a Comment