In September 2006 my world had flipped upside down. I was in a new apartment. My marriage was dissolving, and my household (and disposable income) was about to go from 2 adults down to 1. I was completely lost and unsure of the future. I got the call from Disney saying they were opening a new show, a partnership with Cameron Mackintosh, and they'd like me to come onboard to work on it. My pay would be cut by about 20%. I'd be leaving a good, sure, secure thing to go work in one of the most volatile of industries. My parents, my friends, even my therapist cautioned me against it.
I went against the odds and took the leap. I needed something for me. I needed more art in my life. I needed less strenuous hours. I needed people who didn't know me as married Joy, boring dresser Joy, cautious living Joy, or anything other than the Joy I was inside. I'm happy to say it's up there on the list of good things I've done for myself in these 34 years.
A month later I went to see the show I'd started working on. In the 2nd act, Mary sings a song "Anything Can Happen If You Let It". It became my anthem, and I lived by the idea that anything can happen if we'd just get out of our own way. I made some glorious, wonderful mistakes along the way, but I've also lived the life I wanted by trying my hardest to stay out of my own way and simply riding the wave.
More than 6 roller coaster years later I'm about to say au revoir to this chapter. I'm moving on to something new, again in season of life where a lot is up in the air -- no risk, no reward, right?? But I leave taking comfort that no matter where I am, there's always a chimney sweep upstairs watching out for me.
Coincidentally on the same week of my departure, it's been announced that Mary's final flight at the beautiful New Amsterdam Theatre where she and I have made our home since Fall 2006 will be in a few short weeks. The Universe is tricksy like that. I will miss her terribly. And by miss "her" I mean miss all the ridiculously amazing people I've met because of her.
"With every job when it's complete, there is a sense of bittersweet, that moment when you know the task is done. Though in your heart you'd like to stay to help things on their way, you've always known [you] must do it alone." -Mary Poppins
Thanks, Mary. You're the best gift I've ever given myself. Thank you for forcing the winds to change direction every time... right on time.
