I have a story to tell. You know how sometimes you're so immersed in something that you begin to forget how you got there? I'm not one to get overwhelmed, but I will humbly admit that i was starting to get flustered and I forgot what my goals were with directing/producing the Listen to Your Mother [LTYM] show.
I fell in love with LTYM because it gave people the opportunity to share their story. I truly believe everyone has a story to tell and I don't think we always listen well enough in everyday life for them to be told. LTYM resonated with me because of its authenticity and its ability to widen perspective.
I don't want to focus on the negative, but will say that the morning of the show, I began to suddenly doubt, I felt flustered and frustrated and I starting worrying about things now out of my control. Yet, in the next few hours, I'd regain my perspective-- I'd remember what power is in our authentic stories.
I was sitting at the table above just 4 hours before I needed to be at the venue when the screams began. The 4 year olds were racing to the bathroom. Bianca won, but then proceeded to accidentally shut Clayton's finger in the backside of the door-- the side with the hinges. all the way closed. Needless to say, Clay was hurt, the finger was huge & he couldn't move his fingers at all. Under different circumstances, some rest, ice and elevation might have be in store, but I had a live show & 14 cast members to meet in less than 4 hours. Off to the ER it was.
He got to check out his bones, ate a popsicle and Iron Man got him a splint for his gigantic pinky finger. Meanwhile though, something really neat happened. The following story isn't about me or us--it's about the power of saying yes to a calling and sharing our stories.
The registration lady came to our room to get our insurance information. She was chatting with Clay and this is the conversation:
Clayton: I going to listen to your mother!
Kind lady: WHAT about a murder?!
Me: No, not a murder. He's talking about a show tonight called Listen to Your Mother.
Kind lady: I'm going to that!
Me: You are?! I'm so excited to hear that. I'm directing the show this year!
[That would have been exciting enough for me. Real people in our community bought tickets to this labor of love that I've worked so hard on and would be hearing these stories of motherhood. But, wait. We continued talking and then....]
Kind lady: Wait! Were you in the show last year?
Me: No...
Kind lady: I've been both years. Were you in it the year before?
Me: Yes...
Kind lady: And your story was about orphans & adoption, right?!
Me: Yes...
Kind lady: Your story started my daughter adopting! I have a new granddaughter they adopted after hearing you and getting started! Here, let me show you her picture. *pulls out ID badge with her grandchildren* they are now in process to adopt again!
Me: [A mess of excitement, amazement & gratitude. I asked to take her picture!]
A child that needed a family has one because they were sparked to action by me telling some of our story? Unbelievable.
Our stories matter. Whether they inspire, give a new perspective, allow us to laugh more at ourselves, break our hearts, help us remember, teach us gratitude, remind us to persevere ---whatever it is--your story matters. You will often never know how significantly or how far-reaching. So, live it. tell it. Your story matters.
[Thank you, Michelle, to you and your daughter. You've blessed me more than you know.]
Here is a link to me sharing that story, The Motherless, in LTYM:NWI 2011.