The week it snowed...

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It’s been a snow week made up of many snow days and the effect of this on people has been fascinating…some have railed against it…but most have delighted in it…at least at first…and some have used it as an excuse to unhook from their ordinary lives. I’ve been amused at how quickly the novelty and delight wore off for some people…what was magical on Tuesday became the worst thing in the world by Thursday but I’ve been greatly intrigued by how quickly people assumed they had an absolute right to this time “unhooked” from their real lives.

There is something about human nature that when something is offered, something nobody saw coming, all too soon it seen as something they are entitled to. Having Tuesday off was a complete bonus and then for most people Wednesday was thrown in as well…what good luck…who would have foreseen the reaction of anguish and indignation that ensued when people had to go back to school/college/work – whatever represented real life for them on Thursday or Friday. I couldn’t help thinking where the appreciation for having such unexpected freedom on Tuesday and Wednesday went…instead of being grateful for the extra holiday they were simply cross it hadn’t lasted longer…

So yes…this got me thinking about the way that the youth theatre exists in a world that’s kinder than this…where people appreciate exactly what it is there, what is given and the people who share it with them. What’s more they’re open enough to express that appreciation openly and meaningfully. There’s a real balance between staying grounded and stable on the one hand and developing and moving forward on the other and most of the time we manage it. When I witnessed how people changed their opinion on a day to day basis this week it made me reflect on how magic this appreciation was…we need to hold on to it…it’s very precious. This in turn lead me onto my New Year resolution number 2 (The first is documented at http://www.kaleidoscope-digital.com/SarahOsborne/blog.html ) I’m going to try and remember to appreciate each little thing this year…in general terms and also specifically the creative and artistic opportunities and experiences I am lucky enough to have…to not get complacent, not get dismissive and not get greedy…

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