Hello Yellow Brick Road!

A few weeks ago, I took my kids to see "The Wizard of Oz". It was fantastic. I had forgotten, or maybe I never knew how many levels the story worked on. The scarecrow unbeknownst to himself was smart. The lion actually had courage when the chips were down. The tinman realized he did have lots of heart.

The plucky little duffer that played Dorothy was the catalyst for it all. She was the one little girl who had the gumption to do what everyone else was scared to do. She challenged the powers that be, and helped everyone around her, including herself, to see their own amazing truths. When she didn't know what to do, her friend Glinda the Goodwitch came to her assistance. Amazing how once she decided to whole-heartedly commit to something, the Universe helped her along.

So what does this "Somewhere Over the Rainbow-ing" have to do with me?

The day after I saw the play, I was laying in bed listening to the radio when "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" came on the radio. The next day I heard it again. Then I was reading a blog post that mentioned the Wizard of Oz. Once the Universe shows me three signs in short order I pay extra careful attention. I had been asking the Universe for guidance on what to do with my life - what was the relevance of these messages for me?

When I was a wee child, I loved to sing more than anything. I sang with my whole heart.It was all I really ever wanted to do. I sang all day long, as loud as I could and whenever I wanted. I could sing louder than my entire elementary school choir, which I considered a point of pride.

One day, our music teacher told us we'd be performing the musical "The Wizard of Oz". Once I heard the music, I was hooked. I absolutely loved the song "Somewere Over the Rainbow". Then our music teacher told us that only kids from the grade above us would be considered for the lead roles of Dorothy, the Tinman, the Scarecrow and the Lion. I was incensed! I knew I was the best singer in the school and I wouldn't be eligible to Dorothy?

I auditioned and was cast as one of the Munchkins. This was not good enough for me. I knew I was a better singer than the girl who had been cast as Dorothy, and I wouldn't stand for it. I couldn't stand for it, because it was wrong. She didn't love that song when she sang it, like I would have. I demanded a re-audition, pint-sized diva that I was.

My music director politely re-auditioned me and told me that since I was in the lower grade that I would still be a Munchkin. He tried to console me by telling me that I was an excellent singer, and I could audition for a lead role the next year. The unfairness! How could talent not trump ridiculous rules! Was this how the world operated? My indignation did not abate for many years.

Flashforward 28 years....What happened to that Dorothy wanna-be? I appear to have lost my pluckiness and my ruby slippers. I am far from "home" - who I am really am. I need to create something that is truly of me, and has genuine meaning for me. Something that could channel my real feelings and ideas. Things that weren't being coaxed out in my paid employment. Perhaps a blog would be a good idea...

Back then was such a "plucky" Dorothy, and I didn't even have the knowledge, experience, skills that I have now. Perhaps I will borrow a little "Dorothy-ness" from the little diva that I was. Perhaps that "Dorothy-ness" can lead me down my own yellow-brick road towards Kansas.

Guess what? This morning I woke up to the sounds of Judy Garland on the radio. First thing I saw at the office was a co-worker was wearing her ruby-red slippers. A tiny tornado just ripped by and pulled the sticky with these ideas on it up, up and away....here I go!