A few final
thoughts on “It’s a Wonderful Life” and then I promise to be done with it…
You might be sick and tired of my going on about “It’s
a Wonderful Life” for the third week in a row, but it’s my blog and I’ll brag
if I want to. The fact is, I had not actually seen the production when I wrote
the last two columns. (Such is the nature of deadlines.) I confess, I passed
judgment on something I hadn’t seen and I was mistaken. It wasn’t just a great
play. It was absolutely fantastic! The Prairie Players nailed it, and it proved
far more entertaining than I imagined and much funnier than the movie.
Although everybody did a brilliant job and looked
marvelous doing it, I thought Jonathan Britton
played an outstanding George Bailey. And I must express special
appreciation for the two on-stage Foley artists, the father and son team of
Keith and Lindsay Burch (soon to be introducing a third generation to the
Prairie Players!) You guys rock. Thank you, congratulations, and bravo to all
of you!
If you didn’t see the play, I feel sorry for you.
But not too much. Listen to me next time.
I worked “front of house” all four nights and
learned something about myself in the process—something I’m not too proud of. I
discovered the whole donning of the 1940s outfit, trying to keep those seams
down the back of the hosiery straight, and the hour spent curling my hair into
victory rolls got old by the third night. Yet, had I been on stage, four nights
would have felt like not nearly enough.
I don’t like to consider what this might say about
me. Not a team player? Not happy unless she’s in the spotlight? Probably some
truth in that. But then, there’s probably some truth in that for most of us.
Anyway, I fulfilled my commitment. My hair held up, even if my enthusiasm waned.
Some things are not worth dwelling on.
Now it’s time
to turn to Christmas preparations in real life…
 |
| At least I didn't do THIS. |
Before the cold and snow arrived, I strung Christmas
lights across the front of our house. Correction: almost across. I kind of ran
out of lights before I ran out of house. But hey, I never claimed to be Martha
Stewart and my home was not on the Homes for the Holidays tour. While this type
of imperfection would have driven me crazy in younger years, I’m just glad to see
lights on the house. Some things are not worth dwelling on.
Our family is foregoing gifts this year in favor of spending
our money on travel expenses so we can all be together. I did, however, pack a
Shoebox for Operation Christmas Child. Since God saw fit to bless us with three
grandsons, it’s a treat to choose items for a little girl. It’s amazing how,
once you dispose of all the packaging, you can fit twice as much stuff in your
shoebox. Don’t make the mistake I did: shopping before reading the list of what
NOT to pack. Guess I get to keep the grape flavored, Disney Princess,
melts-too-easily lip balm.
I wish I could witness the little girl’s face when
she opens her box. Truthfully? What I’d really like to see is a video of her
opening it, watched from the comfort of my own home. I’m not keen on travelling
to jungle climates with bugs and no air conditioning and poor sanitation.
Pathetic, I know. More revelations about myself I’d rather not dwell on.
And in other
Christmas preparations…
I will also forego our family Christmas
newsletter—again. What was once a fun annual tradition seems to have gone the
way of the dodo bird with the launch of my blog a few years ago. If anybody
really wants to know what’s going on with the Todds, it’s not hard to find out.
But I am happy to report that newsletters are being written
at my desk nonetheless…from the most unlikely of Christmas characters. It will
be my joy to share these with you throughout December, so I hope you stay tuned
and I hope you’ll find them to be columns worth dwelling on.
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