Water Works

Those who know me really well know that I am very emotional. I cry at the drop of hat, often for reasons that I can't really explain. Often it seems that the situation doesn't warrant my extreme reaction. For example...

Recently I went to see Wicked with my mom and sister. This was my third time seeing Wicked on the stage and probably my bazillionth time hearing the song Defying Gravity. I cry almost every time, if not every time, that I hear that song. I can't control it. I'm listening to the song, singing along and BOOM - my throat starts constricting, my voice cracks and on go the water works.

So, I was sitting in the theatre in Louisville, watching the most outstanding performance of Defying Gravity that I have seen, and the process began - throat constricting, tears flowing. And this time it wasn't pretty. I knew that if I let it out it could very well be a distraction to the people sitting around me, so I tried to control the emotion I was feeling. Suddenly my body could no longer contain the emotion it was feeling and my whole body shuddered and some strange noise emitted from my throat that probably sounded something like a grunt. How embarrassing!!!

As the first act ended and the lights came on, I was grateful to see that Jill had also been crying (I can usually count on her to "get" why something affects me that way that it does). Even so, I felt a little goofy knowing that a song that I've heard so many times nearly made me come completely unglued!

Such unexplained drainages of my tear ducts happen on a regualar basis. Last night I was at the dance studio where my daughter takes ballet. I dropped her off and made my way down the hallway to the waiting room. As I walked by one of the classrooms I noticed a class that was in session. It was a class of preschool aged girls preparing for their upcoming recital. Kneeling next to each little girl, holding a hand up to support her as she twirled, was who I could only assume was her dad. It was by far one of the sweetest things I have ever seen. On went the water works.

A little later, I was invited along with all of the other parents, to go into Becca's class to watch them perform their recital piece. It is a ballet class, and they are doing a sweet little dance to Goodnight My Angel by Billy Joel. Well, at least I know my tear glands are working poperly! Maybe I'd better take a box of Kleenex to the recital and sit in the back by myself!