Stepping Out of Your Role and Into Yourself

The outdoor temperature flirted with freezing as we shifted our weight from one foot to the other. The rain pelted our heads relentlessly as we waited for the command.

“And…action!”

We quickly whipped off our hatwear, pretending it was a breezy spring-like day. It wasn’t. Our hands were frozen, our shoulders perched on our ears. Because the camera couldn’t pick up the ‘light rain’, we had to act as if it wasn’t precipitating. Life on television is a lot different than life in the real world. And I loved every minute of it.

Like many women, I wear many hats: wife, mother, PR consultant, writer, actor, friend. Every now and again I step out of life and in front of the camera for a day or two of complete release. Hanging out with crew members and  feeling the sense of temporal camaraderie are rewarding experiences. As Dena Marie Patton says in Gina Blitstein’s piece, “Where is the ‘i’ in my life?”, we must step out of our myriad roles, if only for a few minutes, to rediscover the me in we, the self in the collective. Dena herself experienced a minor stroke at age twenty-six after living a workaholic lifestyle. She knows of which she speaks.

Believe it or not, bundled under five layers of clothing to ward off the freezing rain, I found myself. Despite the straining external circumstances, it was a journey of self-discovery, a true test of desire, and a marvelous return to me.

How will you carve out those moments for yourself? Which avenue will you choose to ‘step out of your role’ and into yourself? I’d love to know.

2 Comments

  1. PattiAnn

    February 5, 2010 at 1:29 am

    I choose to take a break before I fix dinner. Depending on what is going on, I may have a glass of wine, but lately, wine makes me sleepy so I simply choose to sit and read for half an hour before starting dinner. It gives me the chance to be me before getting back into being “we.”

    1. powerofslow

      powerofslow

      February 5, 2010 at 5:36 am

      That is so great! I’ve always believed that food is energy that can pick up other energy. When we are in a loving space, the food simply tastes better!

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