Oklahoma! and Defining Moments

The term “defining moment” has turned into somewhat of a cliché, but it’s true that we have moments in our lives that define us: weddings, birthdays, funerals, days we decide to make major changes, and moments our hearts break into so many pieces that we feel we may never become whole again. That’s a little depressing… but it’s true. Our lives are collections of moments, and some of them stand out more than others.

This past weekend, my mom and I (and my dear friend Natalie!) saw IU Opera’s production of Oklahoma! It was absolutely fantastic, and I was once again amazed by the talent and dedication that I see in my colleagues. When I was a junior in high school, I played Aunt Eller in Carmel’s production of Oklahoma! (photo on the right), so watching the show this weekend brought back a flood of memories: learning how to use a gun (and learning how to humorously cover when said gun didn’t go off during a show), wearing age makeup for the first time, dancing with cowboys in “Everything’s Up to Date in Kansas City,” and working with incredibly talented castmates, many of whom are now pursuing

music as a career. While all of these memories bring a smile to my face, there is one memory in particular that I would consider one of the most important “defining moments” in my life thus far.

On opening night, I came onto the stage to take my first bow as Aunt Eller. I was thrilled to have the bow right before Curly and Laurey, and I was the only character that got to bow alone. I ran out to center stage, and I looked up into the spotlight, and right before I took a bow, I heard a voice in my head say, “You are going to do this for the rest of your life.” I have never felt more excited or at peace all at the same time. Now, you may be thinking, “This girl is nuts… hearing voices in her head…” But looking back, I know that was God speaking to me. He was asking me to look at that moment and realize that I had never been happier in my entire life than I was at that moment. And that holds true every single time I am on a stage.

As I look back on past performances, there are a few particular moments that I would also put under that umbrella of defining moments:

• “O Holy Night” at the Palladium (December 2015)

By this time, I had already sung at the Palladium several times, and believe me.. singing in that hall will NEVER lose its magic. But this past Christmas, I felt Jesus in my music like I had never felt him before. The previous Christmas at the Palladium, I finally listened to the words of “O Holy Night,” but this year, I experienced them. I felt like I was praying about the nativity. I may or may not have almost blacked out on stage. Seriously, I had a moment of tunnel vision, and it was a little disconcerting. But I knew God was with me in that moment saying, “Thank you for praising me with the gifts I’ve given you.”

• South Pacific at Indiana University (March 2015)

This show is my favorite show I’ve done so far. Hands down. Nellie (the role I played) felt like an extension of myself, and I’ve never been able to relate to a character like that before. I loved my cast, the costumes made me feel like a million bucks (minus those awful khaki pants), and the songs fit in my voice perfectly. Taking a bow on opening night of that show felt like a magnified version of my bow after Oklahoma! I can still say that that night was the happiest night of my life.

Sometimes we don’t recognize defining moments until we reflect on past events and understand the impact they had on our life. Other times, we can sense the importance of a moment as it’s happening. I’m sure I’ve experienced defining moments that I’m unaware of right now, but I’m looking forward to recognizing those moments as I move forward in my life. I urge you to reflect on some of the moments in your life that have altered your state of being. Perhaps it was the realization that you were unhappy in your job and needed to make a change or that you were in a relationship that wasn’t going anywhere. Or maybe, like me, you heard God’s voice telling you something so clear that you couldn’t help but pursue it. If you can’t think of any of these moments, take some time in prayer to ask God if he’ll show you some so that you may understand how his plan for you is taking shape. His plan is so perfect, and it’s made up of a million different moments—some defining and others of lesser importance. But if we let all these moments work together, we can become the masterpiece that God has in mind.

#Godsplan #goals #hope #prayer