Former lives

Yesterday Prairie Dad and I took Baby Chang to see Sesame Street Live.  I even called in a favor and got us a Meet and Greet with Cookie Monster and Zoe before the show. 

As we walked into the lobby of the arena where all the merchandise stands were lit up a flood of emotions swept over me.  You see about 10 years ago I was working just such a tour with Sesame Street Live.  It was some of the best and worst times of my life.  I saw cities that I never would have chosen to go to on my own, made amazing friends and got fired for the first time and only time in my life.  Okay not really fired my contract was not renewed which in the entertainment business means "your fired".

I left that tour questioning every professional decision I had ever made.  I had no confidence in any of my skills.  Even though I had come to the same conclusion that this company was not the place for me I wanted to be the one to make that choice.  I continued to harbor a lot of unresolved feelings about how I left that job or how it left me until yesterday.

As we were led back to the room for the meet and greet I was feeling very apprehensive.  Then in walked Cookie Monster and Zoe.  As I looked at these larger than life characters I remembered the people I had worked with who wore those furry, often smelly costumes.  Images of the nine months I was on tour came flooding over me and I fondly thought of all those people who touched my life in ways I'm sure they will never imagine.  Those feelings intesified as Bert, Ernie, Cookie, Big Bird and Elmo entered the stage and started to sing.

I watched as those all too familiar characters enchanted my daughter and my resentment began to fade.  As I remembered all that came after that tour I realized it led me to where I am today.  So I sat back and enjoyed the show through Baby Chang's eyes rather than through the cynical road weary eyes of a former life.

THEN (2001)

NOW (2011)

Note Baby Chang's distrust of the larger than life Cookie and Zoe.  She wouldn't go near them.

New friends for Baby Chang, friends from another lifetime for Mr. Chang.