Through the Window or Out the Door

Sitting in the window, staring at the world, I long to join in.  Sometimes it can be hard to step outside, to risk, to be a part of life out there.  Some days, it feels more comfortable to stay snuggled up in your blankets, playing on your computer, reading a book, or watching a film.  But, you have to go out.  You have to make friends, have love, have a great time. 

Make a difference.  You have to make a difference.

Well, you don't have to... but why not?

 

So much is happening in the world right now- with pro-democracy protests in so many countries, and the protests standing up for rights here in the United States, specifically Wisconsin.  It is easy in a time like this to say that your voice doesn't matter, but it does.  You have a body, you have a voice and an opinion.  It is yours.  Go out and share it.  I mean, if you want to.

Go out and make a little bit of difference today, if you want to.  Times like this can make us meek, but they can also make us bold.  Share what you have, if you want to.

I've been doing this wonderful volunteering gig, at The Stella Adler Studio of Acting.  I attended Stella Adler's school through New York University (NYU) in Undergrad.  Almost all of my acting classes were at Adler.  The school is wonderful, but one of its best programs is the Stella Adler Outreach Program.  It provides free acting training to low-income high school students.  These students are at the studio, among students and professionals, for four or more hours a week, learning very advanced acting.  All of the young adults had to audition for placement into the program, and are taught by excellent instructors.  I have the priviledge of getting to aid these instructors two days a week.  

It's a joy to watch the difference I am making for these young people.  I hesitate to call them kids- most of them aren't.  Though they are young, some of them have had a pretty rough go, but they haven't let it get them down.   They are all insanely motivated, and auditioned for this program, to become better at an art they love.  

They inspire me every time I am there- the drive and zeal with which they approach the work puts me to shame.  There are so many days when my alarm goes off really early and I just want to (and sometimes do) go right back to sleep, instead of going to an audition.  It's so easy to look at the world and say "no," sometimes.  Doing the better thing is hard, but it's still the better thing to do.

Help someone today.  Make art.  Change the life of a child.  Be an inspiration.

I mean, if you want to.

Why not... right?

Photographs taken in the West Village.

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA