I relate to so much of this, Aimee. I was a violin performance major once upon a time. I haven’t touched my violin in years for a variety of reasons, but it’s funny how these things can morph
Yes, I imagine violin performance doesn't quite transfer to stay at home, homeschool mom. But the creativity still has to come out somehow!
I wasn't into children's theater when I was in school but because kids were my life, I started teaching drama classes in our homeschool community. And there were special moments of sharing something that I loved with my kids.
It also helped me to hear from a theater friend who has remained single and continued to work in theater for the last 20 years that even for her a large percentage of the work she did was not her "dream" job. Her creative life, though very different than mine, required adaptation as well.
I mostly keep this identity hidden, but I think it’s because for too many years it was the only thing people knew about me. I was violin girl. The first question when people find out is always, “do you teach??” and for years I’ve felt like I “should”. I’ve finally had to own the fact that it’s just complicated, and that’s ok. Recently I told my children that I used to play music at church and one of them asked, “you played the organ?” 😆
When I first met my husband (at church) he was in a band and played keyboards and guitar and also played worship at church. For me, it was so much a part of his identity, who I knew him to be. Before we got married he'd already stopped playing. Twenty-four years later he picked up the guitar and started playing at church again. (Which is just in the last few months). It can take (a lot) of time to unravel the threads and feel safe to come back to a part of ourselves. Not saying that you have to, of course.
I keep offering up theater to God because there have been so many closed doors.
"It's okay, God, let just called it something I enjoyed in the past and let it go."
But then he's like, "Actually, nope it's not just something for the past."
Sigh.
"Okay, well, you're going to have to help me out here because I'm not seeing any way forward."
I relate to so much of this, Aimee. I was a violin performance major once upon a time. I haven’t touched my violin in years for a variety of reasons, but it’s funny how these things can morph
I love learning this about you, Annelise.
Yes, I imagine violin performance doesn't quite transfer to stay at home, homeschool mom. But the creativity still has to come out somehow!
I wasn't into children's theater when I was in school but because kids were my life, I started teaching drama classes in our homeschool community. And there were special moments of sharing something that I loved with my kids.
It also helped me to hear from a theater friend who has remained single and continued to work in theater for the last 20 years that even for her a large percentage of the work she did was not her "dream" job. Her creative life, though very different than mine, required adaptation as well.
I mostly keep this identity hidden, but I think it’s because for too many years it was the only thing people knew about me. I was violin girl. The first question when people find out is always, “do you teach??” and for years I’ve felt like I “should”. I’ve finally had to own the fact that it’s just complicated, and that’s ok. Recently I told my children that I used to play music at church and one of them asked, “you played the organ?” 😆
When I first met my husband (at church) he was in a band and played keyboards and guitar and also played worship at church. For me, it was so much a part of his identity, who I knew him to be. Before we got married he'd already stopped playing. Twenty-four years later he picked up the guitar and started playing at church again. (Which is just in the last few months). It can take (a lot) of time to unravel the threads and feel safe to come back to a part of ourselves. Not saying that you have to, of course.
I keep offering up theater to God because there have been so many closed doors.
"It's okay, God, let just called it something I enjoyed in the past and let it go."
But then he's like, "Actually, nope it's not just something for the past."
Sigh.
"Okay, well, you're going to have to help me out here because I'm not seeing any way forward."