Oscars, and Emmys, and Tonys, Oh My!

You and I don’t have to worry about the paparazzi as we go about our daily lives.  We don’t walk the red carpet to get to a special occasion nor are we athletes skipping down the Playoffs, Olympics, World Series, Oh My! yellow brick road. Our path is more like Weddings, New Babies, Reunions, Oh My!

It’s good to have traditional events that provide a rhythm to the months of the year and that mark significant points in our lives individually and as part of a group.  Such events – graduations, vacations, and even watching the Emmys – are part of a cycle that comforts, well, until it doesn’t, or until something breaks the pattern.  For example, I no longer watch the awards part of the show because I’m not familiar with the majority of nominated programs or actors.

I remember a Dear Abby (or Ann) column from, well, obviously decades ago, before expectant parents could know things about their baby.  It was a letter from a parent explaining their reaction to the birth of a special needs child.  In essence it said that waiting for their baby to be born was like planning a trip to California.  They read up on San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Sacramento, researched climate, studied the local economy, and felt fairly confident they knew what things would be like once they got there.  When their child arrived, however, they discovered they actually ended up in North Dakota.  It wasn’t what they expected or wanted or had prepared for, but once they got there, it was ok. 

It’s important to hope.  It’s great to plan, but it is necessary to adjust to what comes our way.  Just like the actor and athlete who thought they would win but didn’t, we all experience times when our name is not called or the bat does not connect with the ball.

Agatha Christie wrote, “One doesn’t really recognize the important moments in one’s life until it is too late.”  Some people had a very public important moment last night.  I’ll bet you recently had a quiet private one.  It’s not too late to give yourself an award to mark the occasion.  Whether you lost two pounds (Leading Actor in the Constant Struggle category), got promoted (Supporting Actress, Paid My Dues), or handled an argument gracefully (Director, Drama) – claim your 15 minutes in the spotlight and share your story!

Marilyn