Act 2

As a member of the aging adult club I can officially say that I have entered the second half of my life.  This next phase of adulthood presents a much different view than my quote on quote, younger years.  Also known as the first half.  It might sound like a bit of doom and gloom, but make no mistake about it, I feel the best I have ever felt.  I have this sense of youth coupled with many grueling self-inflicted activities that keep me young in a physical sense and often times young at heart.

There has always been this relentless need to belong.  To be a part of the cool clique.  For that select chosen few to ‘get it’ and more importantly, get you.  Where does this need actually come from and who says that any one single person on the face of this planet has to accept you and deem you their person?  If I had the answer to that rhetorical statement, yet phrased as a semi question this would perhaps be a different topic of my thoughts.

It is certainly a gift to vividly remember my younger years.  If you follow stage plays or film, you are familiar with what’s called the three-act structure.  The first act, also known as the setup, introduces the protagonist, their world, and what truly lays the foundation for the rest of the film.  The second act brings about challenges and obstacles to overcome, also known as the meat of the story, when all the juicy bits happen.  The third act introduces resolution of conflicts.  As it plays out in a film, the story can go in many different directions, and is widely left open for the interpretation of the viewer. 

During our younger years we typically have little to no worries.  Seeming to float through life filled with giggles, a few bad choices, and hitting repeat until we get it as close to right as possible.  I have harmoniously landed somewhere between acts 2 & 3.  A few obstacles to tackle, met with challenges that have often left me scratching my head.  Yet, here I remain. Forever thankful for the outlet of creation.  A place where I am free to be completely me without judgment or need for the approval I mentioned earlier.
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As I prepare the stage for my next act, I am rehearsing my lines and taking notes, after all, I am the leading character in this story, my story, and it's a beautiful thing.

~AJ