ZORRO (The Musical?)

Ken joked, "What next, 'Dirty Harry - the Opera?'"


After work I met Noell at her parents. It was nice to see her parents again and visit with them briefly. As a bishop, my time is taken up in so many things. Also, with Myranda's basketball season, and Noell's volleyball season, it has been a while since I've spent time with extended family. It was good.

We then left for Costco, to meet Ken and Ada and do some shopping before the play. We visited as we shopped. We then visited more as we ate dinner together before the play.

I have seen several different Zorro shows, but never a musical. Perhaps we were picturing a musical more like The Sound of Music than the Phantom of the Opera. The play had some very neat aspects to it. The message that stood out to me was how the two brothers fought within themselves to determine what they wanted their lives to be like. I've felt some of the same feelings inside of me. Do I try to push things so hard, (like Ramon) to live the way that I should, that I sometimes almost take away other people's agency. Do I run away from the life I know I am supposed to live (like Diego), because I don't want to do the things that the Father knows I'm capable of.

So many times in my life I've had to look hard inside and fight to decide what I want to become. Throughout it all, I've had to turn to others and get their support and encouragement. Now that I am over forty years old, and serve as a bishop, I still struggle. Last fall I had good friends point out that I have been pushing my desires upon others. Since then, I've been trying to consciously be aware of this and allow others more agency.

Also, I often struggle at those extra busy times, when I have so many pressures for work, church, and family. At times I feel like I want to just go to sleep at night and sleep through my meetings, or my work. I wish I could sleep-in for days. I'm grateful for Noell and the way she encourages and nudges me. I'm especially grateful for the people who say things that actually make me believe I'm better than I usually believe I am. As I do the things they encourage me to, I realize after the accomplishment that they were right, I am often capable of much more than I believe.

It's funny how a silly musical, with a plot that is often quite predictable can cause such introspection. Perhaps it's just because it's very late, and I have had a very long, tiresome week. I hope to sleep in tomorrow.

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