Family of choice...

Photo by Arthur Fink

This morning was the last full rehearsal with my troupe before I leave for three months of Semester at Sea.  There was a lot of discussion of how things would run while I was gone, where the troupe would rehearse, what new music they might work on and what old standbys they plan to perfect. After this we did what we do best, we created. 

I had so much I wanted to say to all of them today, but as per usual, when I start feeling all sentimental my response is to turn on the grump. It certainly didn't help that my voice is nearly gone, I can barely squeak, and so I was feeling very frustrated with trying to express myself at all.  In the end I apologized for being emotionally overwhelmed and asked if we could cut the rehearsal short.  They all said they understood and so we ended twenty minutes early.  Now I am wishing so much that I'd found a way to express more clearly what I was feeling.

The truth is guys that I'm going to miss the heck out of all of you.  I have spent most of my weekends this summer making music, dancing, and traveling with you.  A few of you I've been doing this with for years, and a couple of you I see nearly daily.  You are all more than just my troupe mates, you are my friends...you are my family of choice.  When one of our own was injured and in need, there was no question in anyone's mind about stepping up to surround him with love, to help out, to make sure that the rest of the freaks and the community were in the know about his condition.  This is simply what we do. 

While I am eager to embark on this adventure I can't help but I feel as though I am leaving just at the moment we are about to bloom.  We create a rare sort of magic when we come together, whether in practice or on stage, and I'm going to miss that.   I know that you all will do wonderful things while I am gone, and I hope to have something equally wonderful to share with all of you when I return.

We have one more show together before I go.  I'm so looking forward to sharing the stage with you one more time, and I know that when that passes I'll be counting the days until I share that space with you again.

I love you all.