OTHER (FMF31 2019 Day 5)

I am participating in 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes 2019 (all of my submissions can be found here).

Today’s prompt is: OTHER

Oh the places volunteering to write (and loving to write) will take you.

I have always loved live theater. All of it. Always. I wasn’t, however, a traditional “theater kid.” I don’t have much acting experience besides being Rudolph in a high school Christmas play, taking a few months’ worth of acting lessons from the wonderful Naomi Rose-Mock and being an extra in FSU Film Productions.

Yet, when Broadway World was looking for Tallahassee reviewers, I volunteered. Eventually, I got on the list for being a community reviewer for the Tallahassee Democrat when their structure changed to allow a group of community reviewers rather than a staff reviewer.

That’s what found me at a rehearsal of a local production of “Godspell,” preparing to write a review for the Democrat.

I watched the scene based on Matthew 38:39: “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”

I have now seen that part of the play twice (because I went back as a paying audience member to see the production in its final form).

Is it bad that I struggled to comprehend this play? (I mean, as a reviewer yes it is!) Something like “turn the other cheek” is such a basic part of the faith upbringing I grew up with, but having it occur right smack in the middle of a melange of beatitudes, parables, soft shoe dance and other theatrical activity was somehow disorienting.

Maybe that’s how it is most like life, though. The opportunities when we are called upon to turn the other cheek don’t come with advance notice (“heads up — you’re going to be confronted and want to fight back”).

Rather, these moments in our lives require us to have a plan in advance for how we will deal with provocation. We can’t expect to be our best if we haven’t mentally prepared and practiced.