Balcony Seats

Early in 2020 before Broadway went dark, my mother, sister and I went on a fantastic girl’s trip to New York to see the play Tina! We arrived at the theater shortly before curtain time and waited in line with other patrons to enjoy an evening celebrating the story, voice, and art of the talented Tina Turner.

We filed into the Lunt-Fontanne Theater and were directed by an usher to proceed up quite a few flights of stairs. Why? Well, balcony seats. We took the climb up (do all theaters have steep stairs or is it me?) and settled into our seats to watch the show.

And it was fabulous. The acting, singing and dancing made for a mesmerizing, moving, and energy-filled evening. We weren’t as close to the action as other audience members but from our balcony seats we were able to see every single sashay, shimmy, and sequin. Not only did we see the actors on-stage, we saw them as they prepared to exit and enter scenes. Not only did we hear the music, we were also able to see the conductor as he led the orchestra players housed in the pit. Unlike those in seats near the stage, we saw scene changes controlled by stage crew dressed in black moving swiftly on and off stage.

All from our balcony seats…

Less immersed in the action than those closer to the stage but a broader view of the action.

More difficult to access – lots of stairs – but a more complete experience informed by a view of how all of the parts were working together.

I wonder – what is the view from the balcony seat in my own life?

I spend much of my time living life immersed in the details of now. My to-do lists (plural!), weekly planner, text messages, email messages, Google and Outlook calendars, photos in my phone, and general movement through life are evidence of this. And, that’s probably a good thing, helping me to remain present and enabling me to attend to what matters right now. Mostly, the breakable balls I’m juggling remain in the air; the thud I hear is the sound of those balls I’ve deemed unbreakable falling to the ground (but I digress)….

But, what if, from time to time, I looked at my life from a different, more distant perspective? Resisting the urge to judge, what would I see?

What are my patterns? What values persist and fade? Which dreams have I realized? Which dreams remain distant? What works? What is taking place that no longer serves its purpose? Do the desires of my life - spiritual, emotional, physical, mental, professional, personal - align with how I’m showing up? What’s missing? How do I feel about the answers to these questions?

From my balcony seat, I can see my increasing levels of appreciation for my quirks and preferences. I can see my love for the little pleasures in life like cinnamon buns, giggling babies, or quiet early mornings. I can see growth in my spiritual walk and reconnection to my creativity. I can see my tendency to attribute my worth to my work. I can see a pattern of unnecessary self-sacrifice when a win-win is reasonable and within reach.

When I include my past in the zoomed-out view from my balcony seat, I can rejoice over the things that I thought I wanted that didn’t come to pass (thank you, Lord!). And much, much more.

I’m so grateful for perspective – for what I can see about my life both up close and from a distance.

What do you think? What do you see from your balcony seat?