Sweet Summer Solstice
new season. new era. new everything.
I’m currently writing this from a Dunkin’ Donuts on the North side of Chicago. Today is the first day of summer. My friend Cherish, and myself, are seeing the play ‘The Prodigal Daughter’ tonight. It’s also Thursday, which means my husband has praise & worship rehearsal at the church, so he dropped me off a bit early. 2.5 hours early to be exact. It’s cool though, because I have so much to do and so much to ponder, and so much to quietly whisper thanks to God about.
I’ve always loved when the seasons change, especially when spring gently ushers in summer. A fresh, new opportunity arises for us to release the burdens from winter and find respite in the golden sun. It’s also personal for me, because my birthday is June 26. And on this year, I release my 30’s and waltz (and footwork) into my 40’s.
Lately, I’ve been releasing things I thought I had to do in order to be a “relevant” content creator, and fully embracing things that make my soul glow. I have a vivid memory of 12-year-old Nik writing in a journal about her dream to be a playwright. But then there’s the memory of 18-year-old Nik who was a Theatre major at Columbia College, but was forced to drop out, because she couldn’t afford tuition. *Almost* 40-year-old Nik has gone back to embrace those girls and say “I see you and we’re finally doing it!”.
I have no real reason on why I took myself out the game. In retrospect, I pursued other endeavors, because writing plays seemed unattainable. I wanted to be August Wilson, but didn’t give myself a chance to bloom beautifully. Oh, but 40-year-old (almost) Nik, knows that these things take time and she has a new patience and hope, that she never knew existed. Can I also add that for the first time in my life I feel fulfilled.
Life these days have been different. I read my books, clean my home, love on my family, and outline my new play. This is the peaceful rhythm I’ve yearned for. I spent years stressing about creating content for social media, neglecting precious time to create content FOR THE STAGE. For Chicago theatres. For Broadway. This is my portion.
Cousins, today is a new season. I challenge you to take a moment to be honest with yourself. Are you pursuing things that make your soul glow? Or are you doing what you THINK you need to do in order to gain success? As an elder millennial (lol), trust me when I say, be true to your authentic 12-year-old self. They know and they’re waiting for you to remember their dream.
Happy New Season to us and Happy *almost* Birthday to me!
Your Favorite Cousin,
Nikki
P.S. If you’re in Chicago, please save the date (August 12th at 6 p.m.) for my short play “Emmett’s Photo”. This is a "reimagining of the moments that led up to John H. Johnson's historic decision to publish a photo of slain teen, Emmett Till, in a 1955 Jet magazine." I’d love to see you all there!