Since I joined Open Salon last September, I've been considering writing a post where I tell how Sharon, aka mimetalker, has influenced my life. My first thought was that I should ask permission, then she left this:
"13. In full disclosure, I once changed the diapers of the person who put out this open call.
Sorry for the ewww factor, Heidi.
Mimetalker
September 21, 2010 04:03 PM"
as the bump comment for her 12 Random post.
For no reason other than that writing ideas started pouring into my head from the ether, I haven't revisited the idea of publicly acknowledging her positive influence on my life... until today.
When I was little, my parents loved to tell Sharon and George stories. I appreciated and respected George, but I loved Sharon (the way young children fasten on a grownup and want to just like them). What I gathered, in my childish perception was that wearing two different colored socks would make me cool, telling outrageous stories with a straight face and sticking to them through thick and thin until someone believes in aliens in human form is a worthy endeavor and being happy and devoted to serving humanity and bringing art to the forefront of human well being are critical to a life of joy.
I only accidently stopped wearing mismatched socks for a few years while my children were small and everything in my world cried for order. Fortunately I'm back to wearing one pink and one green sock when I'm wearing a red shirt and black jeans – especially when I teach for the children's theater company.
Theater! That's the specific art. I do tolerable well as a mime, that is if you ask my children, nieces or any child they ask me to show off for, though I would be too shy to mime around mimetalker. But that's not the kind of performing I'm talking about. When I was very small, I have memories of Sharon, George, my parents and many other talented, dedicated actors, as part of a traveling theater troupe all over Illinois. I don't remember any of the shows, but my mom confirmed that Sharon did have a speaking part in at least one. I remember the sense of community, sitting in the sun; my legs stretched out, green grass sticking up between my toes; and feeling all was right with my little world. So right, in fact, that I wanted to grow up and create/be a part of just the kind of creative, witty, loving, community I experienced back then.
I've never lost that vision. Now our local theater company is in its second term and gaining momentum, both on the being visible in the community front and, more importantly, through creating strong, valuable friendships that sustain, nourish and enliven the families involved.
Over the years, my family and Sharon's have not spent much time together and usually only at George's parents' house for random and too infrequent gatherings. I have only a single memory of playing at Sharon's house in Rockford. All I see are her two young children playing in a toy room. There was just enough of an age difference that I thought of them as little and myself as older. Now we're all the same age-ish and I long to be able to spend more time getting to know them and their amazingly beautiful families.
I also knew from an early age that if anything were to happen to my parents before I reached 18, I would be cared for by the Davises. I've also been told that when my parents told Sharon, she was almost giddy with excitement, so much so that my mom and dad were a bit disconcerted. I never wanted anything to happen to happen to my parents, but I liked our backup plan.
To be honest, I wanted to be like Sharon. Now that I'm on Open Salon, learning more about her life than I ever did from other people's stories, early memories and bustling gatherings, that were more impressions than images I can pull details from, I'm sure I chose a great role model.
Happy Birthday, Sharon!
Everybody dance!!!