The Lion King

I bought these tickets a year ago, when season ticket holders were allowed to buy extra, discounted tickets.  I was on the phone with my mom and asked if they wanted to go to.  And I spent big bucks on close-as-you-can-get-without-being-a-sponsor-orchestra tickets.

And it was a really well done show.  The animals and puppeteering are everything a Tony award winner should be.  The show is family friendly.  The show is engaging.  Julia only got restless the last ten minutes and I have to say for a 3yo I was pretty proud.  The boys watched aptly and didn't get up or talk or misbehave in anyway. 

Sharing something that I love so well with all of my people made me happy.  The boys seemed to sense my need for their approval and thus, refused to give it.  Which is fine.  I know they weren't that unhappy because of how well they behaved.

And it took me back to the show 11 years ago, about this same time.  I got everyone together to go see Wicked.  We had just moved into our new house.  My mother and father-in-law came.  My parents.  My aunt and my grandmother.  And we ate at some restaurant in Addison, I think Italian because I can't imagine us going anywhere else with my grandmother.

And we sat in the balcony, I think in the first row, and saw Wicked.  And I remember having a very good time then too.  And I bought a shirt and the poster, which I still have locked away because I can never decide where to put these posters that I buy.  I have three now; Wicked, Wizard of Oz, and Waitress.

I don't know how to do these things and not be a little sad.  Maybe there is no way to do them and not be sad.  The Lion King and it's entire message was sort of hard to swallow.  Yes, we all know that death comes for us all ... but actually having to go on after our favorites leave us ... I feel like an 8yo ... but why did she have to die?

And Simba hiding out and forgetting ... well I kind of have a whole new perspective on that.  I get it Simba, I get it.

She would have loved seeing that show with her grandchildren.  And she would have loved hearing all about how Julia loved it too.  How at intermission she asked ... will we see more animals?  And how her favorites were the birds flying over our heads.

Nothing is okay and yet everything is okay.  And I think that's going to be true for a while yet.


There's no mountain too great
Hear these words and have faith
He lives in you
He lives in me
He watches over
Everything we see
Into the water
Into the truth
In your reflection
He lives in you