These mountains that you are carrying, you were only supposed to climb.
– Najwa Zebian
These past two days was a lot of acting, and if I could have my wish every weekend would be as such. The amount of heart, truth, grit, and unabashed openness that was displayed was breathtaking to watch. There was such beauty to behold in our craft through each individual who went up and contributed their truth and struggle before us all. It was something an outsider might not be able to fully understand, but still something they couldn’t help but be affected by.
I was very much affected by all the work of my peers. It was heavy stuff, to say the least. I have too much pain and suffering that I harbor within me, and to watch my peers share theirs in relation and connection to their characters’ was uplifting. It was a brave and courageous demonstration of the power of what we do as method actors. A revelation that what we experience and hold within ourselves is not isolated to us as individuals but transcends us to humanity as a whole.
Still, I could feel my smallness in the presence of such artistic beauty. It was hard not to shrink and retreat away off alone. We are maybe crazy to put ourselves through as much. Still, we all have our own individual reasons to do so and I cannot imagine a world without our art. It would be tragic indeed.
This morning I could smile earnestly. Driving out of my enshrouded neighborhood I was greeted by an elderly couple all bundled up to go out on their morning walk. I was struck by the sheer simplicity of it. The great opportunity of waking up to this beautiful world to take in this morning and whatever else this glorious new day can offer us. While it might seem like every other day, it can be made into something completely new. The opportunity is just waiting for us to grab a hold of and never let go; Carpe Diem.
There is much tragedy in this world; much pain, suffering and toil. It shows in the pieces and work that is part of our craft. Yet in every great tragedy there are great heroes and greater stories of triumph. While this past weekend carried a lot of tragic weight in the work that was being presented I feel I would be remiss to not focus on the growth, breakthroughs, and triumphs of my fellow actors. We have shed aspects of ourselves to climb to new heights and the view is striking. It is sincerely humbling.
May we all take our place amidst the stars
Not those of sidewalk fame or vanity,
But those whose light does shine out from darkness
To be a guide for inspired dreamers.
May the giants before us we stand on
Be magnified by what we can now add.
May these peaks we have courageously climbed
Turn to plateaus for others to build on.