For your own good.

I grew up as a classic middle child. Pretty compliant, followed the rules for the most part, got good grades, didn’t make waves. I figured out how to make my parents happy. Found the things I was good at and did them.

And then after my sophomore year in college when I turned 18, I picked myself up and moved to Manhattan and then Washington, D.C. to study music, and my life was never the same. That radical 18 month adventure enabled me to become who I am today.

The traits and characteristics and skills I rely on in my grown up life were just waiting to come out of that “pickle in the middle”, as my mother used to call me. But I had to put myself in a totally new, out of my comfort zone situation, in order to allow those hidden things to develop and shine.

Since then, I haven’t done something totally out of the box until Miss Allison cast me as the Story Fairy in our symphony shows. Talk about feeling like a fish out of water!

As a musician on stage, I’ve always had my euphonium in my arms, and a mouthpiece to my lips. As the Story Fairy, my “props” were gone. I had no idea what to do with myself. “Story Fairy” doesn’t come naturally to me (not like teaching or running a business).

But I loved my wings, and meeting all the children afterwards, so I worked really hard, and I’m finally getting there! (After working through the awkward, don’t-know-what-to-do, I-feel-a-little-silly-up-here moments.) As I’ve grown as a person through this experience, I’ve become a more patient mom, and a more creative teacher.

As I thought about this process, I realized that we make our children do new things – go new places, try new foods, participate in new activities – for “their own good”. As we become adults, we usually stop choosing to do new stuff that is “for our own good”. Why? Because it’s uncomfortable to stretch and grow. But what happens if we don’t?

Something to ponder.

-posted by Miss Analiisa, who admits she never learned to ride a bike well, as she moved to the woods in Washington when she was 4. Maybe she will this year. For her own good.