Festival

One of my Israeli colleagues struggles with the English language. He is forever finding creative substitutions for English words and has a sense of humor when I correct him.

One day recently I mentioned to him that my project was “a mess” so he quickly inquired if, in fact, I meant it was “a festival.” I laughed out loud until I realized that, in this case, he meant exactly what he said. He prefers to think of difficulty as a festival. Ever since then and with this simple substitution I suddenly feel “lighter” about challenges in my life.

I think of the people closest to me today and put them into my festival. Mackenzie is a fierce lion, Caoilinn is juggling flaming swords without breaking a sweat, Reilly is a mime and Aidan is riding a giant unicycle. I’m not sure why exactly, but that is where they are in my festival…today. Padraic is wearing a tutu. (It’s my festival, after all…so why not?) And there is a certain someone who has been relegated to the tank in the freak show. And when I think about work I sometimes think of a tweedle-dee-and-dummer convention or perhaps a gaggle of Do-Do birds attempting to construct a nest. Again, that’s today. Tomorrow perhaps they will be engineers wearing converse hi-tops. Who knows? The possibilities are endless.

In any event, ask yourself…who is in your festival? What are they doing? Where would you like to put them, or what is the beautiful, crazy, vibrant outcome of the 'greatest show on earth'/your life? As the Master of Ceremonies, it is entirely up to you.