Saturday, April 3, 2010

Wing Span

What the caterpillar calls the end, nature calls a butterfly.

Unknown
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How many of you are still in your cocoons? Ha! I thought so.

35 years ago, in the midst of my career, I never would have believed that a time would come in my life when I would not be an actor, but that I would spend my time writing and painting. I would have kept on being an actor if my body had cooperated with that plan. Forced off the stage by physical circumstances I tried to find solace in a carefully woven web of security and small town simplicity with nothing much to do but sit on the front porch and watch the world go by. I thought I was safely in my cocoon just as you do.

So you've cautiously and painstakingly climbed up and out on a limb where you are hanging, surrounded by a soft blanket of warm and sticky stuff that keeps you firmly attached to the family tree, or some other tree.. Now what?

Life is fairly well settled, the kids are grown, the mortgage is paid, the pensions are coming in regularly, you've found your doctors, you've got your medicines and your memories. It's secure inside that blanket. Life's struggles are over.

But wait. What's happening? Oh no! Something is moving inside that cocoon, something is growing. Feet are growing, and, oh good heavens, wings! It's getting very crowded in there. In fact it's suffocating. It's so claustrophobic that you have to get out. So you push and shove and discover that life's struggles have only just begun.

When you finally emerge, after a fierce effort, you spread out those wings. And after all the life you've lived, all the things you've done and all that you know, you are faced with a brand new lesson in life. You have to learn how to fly.

Bon voyage.

DB
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APRIL FOOLERY

Weekend Contest
This contest is open for the next 2 days.

APRIL FOOLERY
Choose as many numbers as you want and fill in the blanks
Winners will be posted on the evening of April 4.
The decisions of the nasty biased judge are final. Prizes will awarded on the basis of originality and whatever makes me laugh.

ONLY 5 ENTRIES SO FAR

On the first day of April my true love gave to me
12______
11______
10______
9_______
8_______
7_______
6_______
5_______
4_______
3_______
2_______
and_______

Good luck
DB
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4 comments:

Liz said...

Er... don't I get lessons on how to fly?
...Oops-a-daisy!

Anonymous said...

DB, I am quite happy and content with: "Life is fairly well settled, the kids are grown, the mortgage is paid, the pensions are coming in regularly, you've found your doctors, you've got your medicines and your memories. It's secure inside that blanket. Life's struggles are over."
I thought that was what it was all about.
That is up until I read your wrtings. Now I am confused.Bill

Ken Riches said...

The key is to figure out how to soar, not crash and burn.

pacifica62 said...

Why do you consider yourself as "not being an actor"? To me that is a vocation, where, if you are, then you always are. There is never a time when you are not. It is the fibre of your being, it courses through your veins, it is a calling from within. Many are called and few are chosen for greatness, but those who succeed motivate,envigorate and influence the lives of others. I don't see it as something that fades away and disappears. Perhaps the physicality of it all has to adapt, but I would say that DB is every bit as much an actor today as he was 20 or 30 years ago. You still motivate, envigorate and influence the lives of others with your stories, with your knowledge and your writings. Still acting, but just in a different way. Perhaps the audience is different as well but no less appreciative. It takes talent, skill and a deep sense of your own identiy to be able to stand on a stage and entertain people. You are an artist, a crafsman and an expert in your field and you will be till you draw your last breath. At least I sure think so.