Hello Dolly, I feel lucky tonight.

Tonight I got to do one of my favorite things: go to the theater.

This is another thing I have my Mom to thank for: the love of theater. I can hardly remember NOT going to the theater, but vividly remember the magic of going to summer theater in Ohio with my sister and my parents. (It was a double bonus for me: next to the race track, horses and theater, the only thing better was Cavalia...anyway.) I got an early education in musical theater and the magic of seeing performances right up close. My parents had the recordings of them all and I knew the words to everything.

My cousin and I spent many an hour singing lyprics and performing dialogue down in the rec rooms of our homes in Cleveland. Although I have never performed,both of my children are in performing careers. We also spent time in the Hanna Theater in downtown Cleveland. Her father had the concession there, we could sit in any vacant seats if we sold candy and sodas during the intermission.

I still would rather see a play than a movie. My favorite music is from Broadway.

This was not my original reason for writing though. One of the performers tonight had a line about not having much time with her deceased spouse. She said
10 years together was a very short time. I immediately realized how lucky I have been:I have had 40 years with my husband and so far 63 years with my Mother. I can still tell her how grateful I am for the gift of theater, music and books that she has given to me. I can still say how fortunate my children have been to have had grandparents for most of their lives.

Sometimes in the middle of enjoying life,moments of profound gratitude pop up.