My husband took the day off and went with us to The Tempest yesterday morning.  In our local theater the stage is floor level with the entrance. Stepping through the inner doors of the lobby, patrons are face to face with the stage and move up to find their seats. By tremendous luck, I happened to turn and look at my daughter's face the moment we walked through those inner doors. Had I looked left I would have seen my son's shoulder. Probably not much of a reaction to be found there. But I randomly happened to look right. We all know stages are fluid malleable spaces, we expect them to transform with each show. But the first time you see the change and maybe every time after, in a smaller way, is a magic moment. I was there. I got to see that moment in my daughter's eyes. It was made of light and wonder.

Before being called to take our seats, waiting in the lobby under a sign for our local homeschool group, we ran into a friend who was there with her Drama Appreciation class from one of the local community colleges. She had arranged a tour of the building after the show and asked if our tiny group would like to tag along. We did. It was awesome getting to weave through the labyrinth of floors and hallways up, down, around, behind, and under the stage. We were only sad we did not get to go into the costume production room---too many folks hard at work in there. And we weren't allowed onto the actual stage because it was full of techies washing the floor for the next performance.

As per our new tradition, we went to the local Inn for lunch after. That building opened for business in 1924. Its as charming and cozy a place as you can ever hope to find. The food is superb. I have memories there from early childhood. And I love knowing, no matter what else changes, we can always stop in to eat and commune with something enduring and good. Kind of like Grandma's house but for the community.