All the World's a Stage

As embarrassing as this is to admit, sometimes I get so wrapped up in fitness and activity and moving, that I forget it's not one of everyone's top priorities. What I mean is that some of us relate so closely with "athlete" (there go those damn labels again... I don't mean to bucket us into groups, so hear me out) that it doesn't always occur to me that others consider themselves more in tune (ha, it's going to be a pun so get ready) with other hobbies.

I'm talking about musical performance. (See!? I'm so punny).

I've been raised around music. My mother was a voice major for a bit in college and has participated in musical theater her entire life. I used to play the piano and cello. My college graduation present was to go to London to see The Phantom of the Opera.

via Giphy via Tumblr

I love music a lot, but I consider running and building physical strength bigger parts of my life. Others find their passion in singing or playing an instrument.

With the Tony's this Sunday and with my hometown choral society putting on a little Broadway show this weekend also, I thought I'd talk about this type of performance.

Being on stage is difficult. It can be nerve-racking and stressful, but it can also be fun and rewarding. And it has so many parallels with sport performance. The same focus and concentration used to shoot a basketball is used to hit a note. Memorizing football plays is kind of like memorizing Broadway dance numbers.

But he could do both... Giphy/Cheezburger

And in a lot of events, you're watched. Not only do you have to execute a certain "game plan," be it a song, a piece, or a play, but you have to do it in front of people. Free-throws are technically solo acts. There are spectators at races and an audience at a show. All the world is a stage - a real stage, football field, basketball court, running route...

Where am I going with this? I'm not sure, I'm kind of letting my fingers do the talking typing.

I think an important thing is to always remember why we do what we do. Why do we run? To compete with other runners or because we love it? Why do we sing? Why do we play the flute? Why do we drum? To out-sing, out-play, out-beat someone else? When the world is a stage, it makes comparisons easy. The stage doesn't display the work done alone, behind closed doors, on solo treks, in practice rooms.

I think the stage is where we should show the why.

Why do you do what you do?