Stone Soup Poetry's fiftieth anniversary was the culmination of a journey spanning over fifteen years. I had ideas for what it would be like. Who would be there. How it would end. What would happen after.
None of it came true at all.
I couldn't have Carol Weston perform. She was my first choice because she was the first anniversary feature I hosted all those years ago. live in good conscience. I couldn't get myself together to try and film her.
Deta Galloway was the next logical choice. I am indebted to her for agreeing to feature. I am doubly indebted to Toni Bee for going to Deta's home to make sure she had a Zoom connection. I am trebly indebted to everyone who showed up and made the feel like the monumental event I wanted it to be.
I just wish we were all together in the same room.
I still don't have the courage to go live with Omicron running rampant. I don't know when we'll go live again.
I'm starting to feel like a coward at this point.
I wish I could go back in time and make decisions knowing that consequences would be minor and I wasn't as at risk of spreading COVID as I thought I might be.
I can't go back. The show is what it is.
On the positive side, it is saved for prosperity, and Deta was phenomenal. On the downside, I can never repeat this moment. It can't be relived. I know some older Stone Soupers are upset about that. I don't think, however, that they're more disappointed than me.
I doubt I'll be around for Stone Soup's seventy-fifth anniversary.
I should have ridden the wave of joy from that the fiftieth anniversary extravaganza all the way to 2022. Instead, the repetitive admin Zoom work and other factors led to me being depressed. I let of lot of things slide (like scheduled features), and I didn't work as hard on Stone Soup as I should have during the last half of this year.
Moving forward, life changes are forcing Stone Soup to eventually take on a different shape. I don't know what those changes will ultimately be, but they'll be enacted when we're able to meet live again.
Whatever happens, Stone Soup will move forward. I promise you that.
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