..because she totally GETS US! As does the incredible collective she-power of Actor/Writer Nia Vardalos, Author Cheryl Strayed, and Director Sherri Eden Barber. I hosted a group of Mom-Bloggers with Pasadena Playhouse to see Tiny Beautiful Things last night and I was blown away.
Cheryl Strayed (the real-life “Dear Sugar”) wrote soulful raw insightful and sometimes hilarious advice to total strangers on the internet, whom she seemed to care about like family.
Nia Vardalos shared a 90 minute performance that was so connected, so real #momlife, so tuned-in, and soooooo relatable that nothing else existed outside of that room for me.
Sherri Eden Barber took us on a carefully designed psychoemotional journey that left me totally exhausted, but in a really really great way. You know how people who love to exercise feel “great” after an especially hard workout? I felt great like that. Like my guts got a workout, if that makes sense.
Inside her world I felt connected to mankind, womankind, and all the kindness that I’ve told my children to believe in. Although I teared up (several times) during the performance, I left the theatre truly believing that there is more good in the world, than bad. And, that big miracles can happen IRL, even though they may start in cyberspace. I recommitted myself to not only remembering that we are connected to each other, but also that I’m responsible for finding the beauty in it all.
I need to say this right now just in case you have to run and deal with mommy stuff before finishing this post:
Go see Tiny Beautiful Things playing April 10-May 15 at the historical Pasadena Playhouse. Get your tickets here.
I was thinking about writing this post for you as I drove home from the Pasadena Playhouse pretty late last night. I kept thinking about the evening as a whole beautiful experience. It all lined up with the mantra I’ve been working on in my meditation practice lately: We are all connected to each other. We are all one.
The time spent with my Mom-Blogger friends and seeing the show and talking with the cast, Nia and Sherri afterwards.. The entire incredible event made me think about relationships and the internet and how I want people to feel loved more. However we can get love to them, we need to do it.
Experts say that people have lost that “human connection” because of our addiction to our smartphones and iPads. I’ve often been the crazy lady in the front row who disagrees, because I think we can also find a remarkable connection to people right in the palm of our hands. The friend you need is available at your fingertips, anytime, anywhere, thanks to technology. How much more “We are all connected.” can you get?
Before the Historical Pasadena Playhouse for Tiny Beautiful Things, there was a first-time Mom not feeling so beautiful, or tiny for that matter, in Sherman Oaks.
In 2008 I was 7 months pregnant with Izzy, sleeping on the floor of my new house in Sherman Oaks, living out of boxes while Hosting a new radio show for 8 million people to hear live every morning at 5:00am, and I was a useless piece of mush when I wasn’t on-air. Pregnant overwhelmed zombie.
My Doctor said elevating my legs helped preeclamsia, and I should use ice-bags on my cankles to reduce swelling. I couldn’t reach my cankles because of the enormity of my tummy so I’d sit on the couch, swing my legs onto the ottoman and underhand pitch an ice pack over my belly. I usually landed it somewhere near the right place. I couldn’t bend over, so I wan’t able to do any unpacking. I was lonely because my husband was a rookie firefighter (gone all the time & not allowed to use his phone), and I wanted to sleep but there was no comfortable position.
With my laptop resting on my stomach, I started blogging. While sitting in my compression stockings, in August, in the valley, I clung to a virtual lifeline: Mom Bloggers. I’ll never forget how much blogs and books online, and conversations on Facebook helped me stay connected and strong during a part of my life filled with uncertainty.
And then Obama got elected & I had my baby & my new job didn’t fire me and all was right in the world.
Ha.
So flash forward. Izzy is almost 10 years old now, and her brother is 7. I may stop having kids (ok yeah, I’m done), but I’ll probably never stop blogging.
And the point that I had to share is how much I LOVE that a group of Mom Bloggers got to see a live stage performance last night about an internet-based story, that made us all cry and it was awesome.
Dear Sugar’s advice was given online, and her identity kept anonymous, and that was part of a special recipe that allowed for bonds to form. Her connection on that website made a HUGE impact on people who had never seen her face, but carried her words with them back into the real world.
As a Blogger and a Mom and a Pasadena native, I couldn’t have been happier with our event last night. Surrounded by blogger mamas and so much authentic love for each other and the women who made this show! I love what we do- I love growing together and supporting each other as we continue making great content for women.
Go see the work of these talented humans come to life on stage in Nia Vardalos’s brilliant adaptation of Dear Sugar in Tiny Beautiful Things at the Pasadena Playhouse now through May 5.
NEXT: to read more about me & my MomTribe and our work , click here.
