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Sometimes I feel like I am a broken record. I am blessed. I am blessed in so many ways, too many to even begin to list the multitude of ways. I say I feel like a bit of a broken record, but can you be too thankful? Can you have too many blessings? I don't think so, I feel like it is by acknowledging the blessings that you have, that you bring more into your life.
You may be asking yourself what I am thankful for today. I am thankful that I am able to live in a beautiful rural setting that still allows me the pleasures of big city living. Although I am blessed, I am also a woman of fine tastes. I like life's little luxuries and I bask in them. I am able to live in two worlds. One world is my rural community that feeds my sense of being a part of something that is bigger than myself, and nurtures my soul. I live where almost everyone knows my name, and in that I feel cared for by my community, I am something larger than just myself. I still live in a place where when your neighbour needs help, you roll up your sleeves and you dig in. We work for the greater good of all. Often times you must surrender the finer things in life to achieve this sense of community. I am, and my community is most fortunate that one of Tweed's sons shares this sense of community, and although like so many of our young people he had to leave our little piece of heaven to make his way in his chosen career, he is still fighting to live with a leg in both worlds.
This year Tweed and Company Theatre (formerly IANA) celebrates 10 years of making our community a better place. I have been most fortunate to watch Tim Porter in his uphill struggle to do what he loves in the place that he loves. I have sat in the crowd, that was less crowd and more small group to watch his amazing productions. I have watched as he put on his brave, smiling face but inside he must have been questioning fighting to bring Canadian written and produced theatre to a place that did not have the vision to receive it. I have seen the struggle that so many rural Canadians live, working to live and at the same time working for pennies to do what your soul needs. I am so proud of Tim. He could have given up on his dream, a few years ago I thought that he might.
It has been a privilege to watch this brave yet struggling theatre company achieve the almost unachievable, they are filling the seats. They have turned the corner. Hastings the Musical has secured Tweed and Company Theatre a seat at the big kids table. They always had the talent, that was never in question, now they have people seeing the talent and recognizing it.
Wednesday, September 19 Tweed and Company will bring back another classic Canadian tale that they have reworked. I was most fortunate to see Aleck Bell the first time around. This was in the earlier days, when there was this amazingly talented group of young actors who were killing themselves with talent and were not being appreciated. It was around the time that I thought that Tim may just give up because he was not receiving the community's support. I remember how blown away I was by the insane talent, and looking around at all of the empty seats. I was so angry. I was so angry that we had this gift and people were not coming in droves to take part in supporting this amazing theatre company. It was shortly after this that IANA took a hiatus, I can't say I blame them. I felt their hurt. Here they were committing blood, sweat and tears not to mention their souls and their hard earned money into these original Canadian productions and to have no support. I wanted to weep for them.
I am not going to reinvent the wheel, I have posted the link to my original blog about this insanely talented group of actors. They are now a little older, a little wiser and if possible even more talented.
Today as I count my blessings I count Tweed Theatre Company among them. I live in the place I love, and I am able to see theatrical productions that are equal to anything that I have seen in the big city, and I don't have leave this little piece of heaven. That is a blessing.
Aleck Bell is playing from the 19 to 29th of September in Ontario's last Dance Pavilion that overlooks Stoco Lake in Tweed. The setting is beautiful and the production is beautiful. The cost of admission is a paltry $25 for adults and $15 for students. If you really want to make this a night to remember and you have a little extra pocket change, treat yourself to some amazing home cooked, top quality food and visit one of the Company's sponsors http://www.kellysrestaurant.ca. Their food is amazing and the prices are extremely reasonable(it's a small family run restaurant that brings quality, so I recommend a reservation). Trust me at the end of the night your bank account will not be worse for wear, but your soul will soar.
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