Why Theater Matters (To Our Family)
For most of her life, our daughter was quiet. Not around our family—she was a lunatic—but around other people. Slow to open up, slow to make friends—almost painfully shy. We thought we’d possibly had to have her attend therapy to see if she could get some support in this area. So it took us by surprise when she not only started belting show tunes around our house—I started calling it quarantine chorus (not to her face)—but showed an interest in theater.
The Drop off
This would be the last night we’d spend, as a family, for several months. And my heart was quietly breaking. Intellectually, I knew I’d see her again during her fall break, but not saying goodnight to her, every night, was almost unfathomable to think about. I’ll go to bed Tuesday night and she won’t be there. I’ll go to the farmer’s market at the weekend and she won’t be with me—we won’t have our weekly dim sum appointment. My Project Runway buddy won’t be around. The family shorthand will be interrupted. The three of us have the best time together, and now 1/3 of the laughter in our home will be gone.
This is a death.