The art of washing dishes in an evening gown

Tonight I stood next to a woman I call Mom, both of us in cocktail dresses and stilettos, washing dishes. It was the 43rd anniversary party for the theatre, as well as a fundraiser to build a newer, better back stage. Somehow, she and I always end up washing the dishes at these things, even if we are set to perform as part of the evening. Perhaps it is in our nature. Our southern hearts see something that needs to be done, a kitchen that needs taken command of, and we pounce. Or, perhaps we are just the theatre’s dishwashing staff and we didn’t know it.

So many of my memories with her have been built in the middle of a kitchen. Washing dishes at the theatre, boiling peanuts for neighbors for Christmas, sitting on the step of her kitchen door, where she used to sit as a child, while she cooks and we talk. They’re simple- domestic to a fault, even. But I wouldn’t trade them for the world. There is a perfect peace in standing next to her, feeling the warmth of the water against my palms, laughing and talking while we set things back as they should be.

As I listened to my friends perform on the stage while we set the kitchen right again, I had to smile to myself. How lucky am I that I am surrounded by this many talented, passionate people? Theatre folks are just a different brand of wonderful. To have an entire arts organization so lively and full that you belong to is a blessing. Volunteerism combined with art is truly one of life’s magnificent happenings. You have this group of people who have simply decided they are going to spend their time making beautiful things together, and so they do it for nothing more than to feed souls. If only the whole world could operate on that idea of creating beauty together. It helps, too, that there is a crazy amount of freakishly talented individuals in this little southern town (hey, we produced Tina Fey- we have the talent here).

There is no deeper lesson here- just reminding myself to take note of these moments in my life that I should be keeping. Sometimes you just have to bask in the beautiful, simple moments of life and know each one is paramount to creating your experience. I am so thrilled by the people I get to spend these simple moments with, dancing and singing, laughing and loving. The more I open my eyes beyond the fog of the last few months, the more I continue to realize just how blessed I am, and just how many astoundingly good, wonderful, talented people I am surrounded by- my Mom and her dishwashing expertise included. I will continue to bask in the beautiful art we all make together, and how much love really radiates from those moments. They may seem inconsequential to some, but they are magnificent to those of us in them. I will continue to write these moments down and return to them again and again with a happy heart.