Hope

I attended a very provocative and moving event tonight at The Brecht Forum on the 6th anniversary of Rachel Corrie's death. There was a reading of Caryl Churchill's new controversial play, "Seven Jewish Children". It was the first public reading in NYC and I hope that it continues to be seen and spark dialogue about the ongoing violence in Israel. What moved me most from the whole evening, though, was to hear two representatives from Combatants for Peace speak about their experiences. They had such a hopeful message, a commitment to work to spread peace and tolerance and to dispel hatred and fear. This organization needs to be championed and I was just so happy to learn of its existence that I wanted to share. These days it's pretty easy to overwhelmed with frustration and sadness over all that is wrong with our world, but it's important to remember there is always light amidst the struggle and I think Combatants for Peace truly exemplifies that.

Playing and Dancing

So I'm reading a great book for the Jaya Yoga Book Club,"Open to Desire: The Truth about What the Buddha Taught," by Mark Epstein and there is a passage I found particularly poignant about the author observing his young son:

"He was so focused. Play, as the Swiss developmental psychologist Jean Piaget often said, is a child's work."

It just really strongly brought me back to that sensation of being so focused and enthralled in my world of pretend, and honestly, it made me a little sad that I don't get to occupy that world anymore. I think that's part of what I love about theatre, the opportunity to play, to so deeply invest in a world that is not your own. I believe there is actual merit to play, though, beyond just the fun of living in a fantasy world for a little while. Playing gets you in touch with your inner core of joy which I find is sometimes hard to tap into when living the life of a young adult in New York City, which brings me to my next topic- dancing!

I do not dance enough and when I do I'm reminded of how f-ing awesome it is for me. This past weekend I heard the amazing Red Baraat Marching Band at Barbes in Brooklyn and as I was jumping up and down with a packed crowd to the insane beats of the dhol drum, I felt a rush of pure unadulterated joy. I couldn't stop smiling and I felt unbelievably free and present in my body, which again, I don't experience nearly enough. So here's a reminder for us to play and dance just a little bit more. Spring is just around the corner and in this time of severe economic turmoil, it's important to celebrate the little things.