my wife, her wonderful talent and spirit -- and Love Letters

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I am so incredibly proud and amazed by my wife.

I don't think it's a huge leap to see that I get to spend most of my days being creative. I am quite lucky to have that opportunity. I consider myself an artist -- or at least someone who strives to be. And I believe -- as strongly as I believe anything -- that we are all artists. I think creativity is something we all have. That we all have a story worth telling. That there is something happening in everyone of our lives that the rest of the world can understand. 

The problem is, we often get caught up in the daily grind of things that we forget to create. To explore. To share. Or we don't think we have enough talent. Or that anyone cares to hear what we have to say. Or we figure we're just not "real" artists. And we "leave that stuff" to the folks that seem to live right on the edges of our societies. The ones we consider to be "real" artists.

But the truth is, we all kinda live on the edges. And we're all trying to fit in. Even the ones that don't try to fit in. They're just fitting in to a group of non-fitter-inner's.

So anyway. My wife. I'm so proud of her. I'm proud because she found a way to express herself. She found a way to practice her art. And, man, she was really good.

Most folks don't know that Jamie attended Ole Miss on a theater scholarship. Acting has always been her love, but unfortunately it's not always the easiest artform to practice. Or make a living at. So she also studied journalism in college -- to give her something practical -- and eventually went to law school. So her art has kind of gotten lost in the shuffle.

I was excited for her when she told me that she and our friend David Dallas would be doing a two person show. David is the executive director of the Bologna Performing Arts Center at Delta State. He spent several years as a working actor in Philadelphia and New York before returning home. So I figured the show would be good. But I had no idea how good.

Last week David and Jamie performed Love Letters at the Warehouse here in Cleveland. The plan was to provide our community with a chance to enjoy a really moving and incredibly written performance in a cozy and intimate atmosphere. And they did such a great job. Yes, I am biased. I recognize and readily admit that. But I was truly moved by their performance.

So I am proud of the talent of my wife. But I am more proud that she found a way to let the artist inside her out for a bit. I think we all need to do that a little more often.

~wj