Nostalgia and The "What If?"

Yesterday I did a little self-Facebook creeping (and don't even pretend that you've never done that). I flipped through my photos all the way back to Nutcracker of last year. Some of you may remember that I performed the role of Balanchine's Dew Drop as well as the Sugar Plum Fairy with the Maine State Ballet. I saw all the pictures we took with friends and family after the show. I remembered the feeling of the glittering pink tutu hugging my body and the bobby pins jammed into my hair to hold the tiara on. I remembered how my legs quivered with exhaustion, my lungs still burned, and my throat still parched. I realized there are few things that would have felt more amazing to me and I began to cry.
We take for granted what is before us... Or at least I tend to. I get wrapped up in the now, doing what I have to do, and forget that a time will come when that is not what I will have to be doing. And I will miss it. I was exhausted by the end of the season, I was a zombie. But somehow, I managed to do my job, and enjoy it. It was hard, but I realized how fortunate I was in that moment.
So here I am, waiting to find out whether or not I'll be able to put on a pair of pointe shoes tomorrow. I am so thankful that I got to experience what I did and that I relished every moment. Realizing I wouldn't get it back and may not even get a second chance.
Don't take the opportunities you have for granted. The deck of cards life gives you could change at any moment.
At 1:00 I'll find out what my hand is.
In other news, school is going well. I just had my first exam of the semester in French class and I did okay. I made it on the Dean's List for the fall semester of 2013! My jaw hung open when I found out. Between Nutcracker rehearsals, teaching ten classes, and balancing school with social livelihood, I'm surprised I even passed all my classes.
Rehearsals are about to start up for our spring performance of Cinderella. I've been cast as the Fairy Godmother and the Persian Princess. We'll see after this afternoon if I'll be able to perform.
Thanks for reading.
Rhiannon -