Monday, October 30, 2006

Rejoice in Hope! aka, Parents' Weekend


I returned last night (in the dark... the dark, dark, dark!) from Freshman Parents' Weekend at Big City U, where son Larry-O is pursuing his dream of acting in what is probably the best program for it in the country. (No pride or bragging there.) As on moving in day, it rained and rained Saturday morning, and I grumbled as the ex Mr. Mags and I shuffled into the snazzy auditorium to hear speeches by deans and department heads. (Larry-O and Petra were off being sibling-y together. More on that later).

Instead of a boring two and a half hours of speeches, I was treated to what was really a conversation with artists who appear to be genuinely in love with both the work they do and the young people with whom they get to do it. In every case we heard a clarion call for the importance of the arts in society-- a mission on behalf of excellence and in service of a national and international conversation about what is really going on in this hurting world of ours. I tell you, friends, my heart soared. I became teary. I contemplated my own stop-and-start artistic endeavors (the play I began writing ten years ago; the one I said I'd write this summer; my just about once-a-year songwriting; the all-woman Shakespeare troupe I keep thinking I'll start), and resolved not to let all these things die in embryo. We saw a wonderful, slightly demented movie by an alumnus of the program whose theme can be described as "Bowling with a madman in the woods... but at what cost???" but whose theme is really the delicate task of pushing the baby bird from the nest and hoping like hell s/he can fly. The head of Larry-O's department left us with a quote of James Baldwin: "Be careful what set your heart on, for it will surely be yours."

Saturday afternoon was devoted to a brilliant demonstration at the theater studio where my son is getting his primary training in acting. Again, I was inspired, uplifted, and thrilled to be brought in on the theory and the practice of what Larry is setting his heart on.

Saturday night we took in the local cultural scene with a vengeance, and Petra was in heaven for the play we saw, the celebrity photos we got, and songs we all took home in our heads and hearts.

Sunday morning I had the privilege of hearing a stewardship sermon, of all things, at one of the great churches of my denomination, by one of its great preachers. And there my heart soared for this work I have chosen, or which has chosen me (I think that's what a call is...).

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.
Romans 12:9-12

Larry-O looks tired. He is working hard. He has a stubborn stye in his eye. He is switching roommates, because the one he has is partying a little too hardily for his taste. He loves his classes passionately, especially the ones on acting technique. He is thriving in the city environment.

When he and Petra got to go off for the morning on Saturday, they basically walked around the city, got coffee, met up with friends and other siblings. And they talked and talked and talked. He told her about his life. She told him about her life. When we parted on Sunday afternoon, and they hugged, I heard her say to him, "You are so cool." And he looked at her and said "You're cool." Sorry, but I'm tearing up even as I write this. If anyone had presented me a vision of this brother and sister in such a love-fest even 2 years ago, I would have said "Yeah. Right." But time and mutual interests and, probably, a little separation have worked their magic. I now think they have the kind of relationship I never dared hope they'd have. It's so cool.

There it is... parents weekend, complete with a sermon. That baby bird is flying. Rejoice in hope!

10 comments:

steve said...

It was nice to read about the closeness your children have developed. Sometimes I find myself just wishing that my six year old autistic son, Patrick, would stop trying to bite his four year old brother, Jacob (who is also on the spectrum), when he is angry!

Anonymous said...

Welcome to RevGalBlogPals!

Cathy

Anonymous said...

Welcome!

Stacey said...

From one liberal Calvinista in New York to another, welcome to the RevGals!

1-4 Grace said...

Welcome to RGBP!
Glad to ahve you on board and so happy parents weeekend went well.
Can't wait to hear more stories of the budding actor. The theatre folks at my school were some of my favorites!

Stacey said...

No, I didn't go to Union, although I did visit there to scope out the PhD program...Instead, I decided to be the crazy radical woman at a Reformed Church in America (my denom.) seminary in Michigan.

Your "stop-and-start artistic endeavors" ring a little too familiar in my ears, by the way!

Suzer said...

Wow. From the picture, I can see your son is going to the same school I went to! It is a great school and, yes, probably the best in the country for theatre -- especially as it is right in the heart of the Big City. I attended Playwrights Horizons studio, which used to be up on theatre row on 42nd Street -- a block or two of off-Bdway theatres. Oh, the days of drama school! It was such a wonderful experience. I'm glad to know he's having that experience.

more cows than people said...

how fabulous... i'm moved too by larry and petra's bond. so, so glad it was so, so wonderful a weekend for you. e-mail me the church and pastor please.

Magdalene6127 said...

Thank you all for the welcomes and kind words. Yes: it is such a joy to see a close relationship between my kids. I am humbled; I'm sure it's more to do with them than me.

And Suzer... wow! Larry-O is at Atlantic Theater Co, the one founded by David Mamet and William H. Macy. The different studios all have their own lightbulb jokes, btw. And, Mamet being the founder, naturally the joke goes:

Q: How many Atlantic students does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: %&@# you and your %&@#ing lightbulb!

(Apologies.)

Anonymous said...

reading about your kids growing into loving siblings ... gives me hope. Thanks

and welcome to Rev Gals by the way