“Hey, there’s mail for you,” my mother said with her hand held out.
“Noooooo!” I thought deep within my racing heart; the worry then moved throughout my body. It was Friday; I believed I had avoided the most wretched piece of paper because I had met the standard. I opened the letter from my choir, bracing for the inevitable, stating:
“Ciara’s stage performance needs some improvement…
This class is mandatory in order to be able to sing in the
Midnight Train to Georgia concert… BE ON TIME!”
Attached to what I considered my obituary was a list with additional students who were required to attend. It seemed so embarrassing as an overwhelming number of thoughts rushed through my mind. I sent my nervous, unnecessary thoughts out the window by meditating for peace in my room.
The next day arrived and I drove to the YMCA by Village Elementary for the stage presence class. Mr. White, my choir director and mentor, told all of us that we needed to fix our “broken faces” so we went through a number of drills. The class was fun and hilarious, also productive because I overcame my nerves by speaking in front of everyone, and I sang and danced in front of a mirror. I learned that Mr. White only saw the best in all of us and “wanted to break down our walls”. I can’t just sing well; I must “be an entertainer” and learn to leave whatever emotions or barriers off the stage that may prevent or limit me from displaying my greatness and passion.
I’ve made up my mind that this upcoming concert would be different from the others I have performed in because passion and desire would grace my face more than ever.
In all life, in all activities, I have decided find passion if it is sometime truly loved and divine. “It will take much energy” on my part not anyone else’s. I will strive to exert the required energy and then exceed the limit. In doing so, there is a joyous experience waiting, a life I can always cherish. It isn’t time management but energy management.
With God, family, friends, school, deadlines, chores, occasions, extra activities, emotions, pressures, love, and stress all weighing
d
o
w
n. Breathe.
I must direct my energy’s flow into people and activities that are most important and necessary and not into so many activities where there is little passion.