What If. . .

It's no secret that our business isn't something I would have chosen for myself. In fact, when I'm feeling snippity about it, I refer to it as "Rob's dream, not mine". I would MUCH rather do this than work for someone else, however, so I find ways to make it better (that usually includes some kind of spreadsheet. . . ). I gave Rob a metaphor one time to help him understand why I don't get as excited as he does about certain aspects of the business (the parts of it that he loves usually make me want to throw up just a little. . . ).



IF we had taken MY path, and, say, I started directing a children's choir right after college and it became fairly successful and it took a huge amount of time and dedication but it required Rob's willingness to play the piano, would he be willing to do it??? He would be very capable of doing it. He would even be very good at it. But would he love it? I'm pretty sure we all know the answer to that one.



This metaphor has been very helpful over the years in communicating to Rob why I often feel the way I do about certain aspects of the business. It's not meant to make him feel bad or to pat myself on the back or to be a Martyr, it just helps him see my point of view a little clearer. Most of the time all I have to do is say, "Children's Choir" and he kind of gets it. Besides, it's not like I actually had that opportunity or would have taken it if it had presented itself. . .



The point is, last evening I had one of those "what-if" moments at The Civic Center. Rob and Kurt were running sound and lights for a presentation called RAD or Race Against Drugs. I sat next to Rob at the mixer and watched him follow the script, adjust the faders as necessary and cue the music without skipping a beat. He was good at it but he wasn't enjoying it. I sat there and watched about 70 kids sing and dance and act their little hearts out while their director very capably kept everything flowing. The thought crossed my mind more than once that this very well could have been a path I might have taken 20 years ago. (Just for the record, I'm very thankful that I didn't!)



After the show, I asked Rob if he would have been willing to run sound three or four times a week for me if this had been "my dream". The look on his face and his hesitation said what his words couldn't. We both laughed about it as we realized it was a good visual for the metaphor I've used over the years about children's choirs.



I honestly don't regret the way my life has turned out and the paths I've chosen. In fact, most of the time I'm very thankful for what I do and the opportunities I've been given. If I could go back 20 years, knowing then what I know now, would I do anything differently? Probably a few things (like take better care of my yard!!) but I wouldn't change the end result. . .