16:53 Mar 12 2018
Times Read: 712
She was unceremoniously "fired" from her dance company due to her manager's envy, jealousy, and bad attitude. She was heartbroken. She had made so many friends there. The other dancers looked upon her as their true leader, and confided in her directly. Those were some of the main reasons the manager's jealousy stepped over her recognition of what was best for the team. The manager tried to push her into a completely one-sided, unfair legal contract to remain on the team. She refused to sign it without proper legal review. Knowing an actual lawyer would shred it, the manager didn't wait, and simply terminated her stay with the team.
She was heartbroken.
I suggested to her that she was actually better off without it. Whereas she saw the dance team as opportunities to perform, it was actually holding her back because of that manager's ridiculous rules, and demands. And although she enjoyed it, she was never adequately compensated for the work she put in. I assured her there was more in her future. Her potential was just beginning to be tapped. There were so many more opportunities waiting if she could just put the negativity, and constant compensating for a manager who treated everyone like crap behind her, and look forward.
It has been less than two years. She has performed twice at one of the city's largest events. An event she thought she would never perform at again without that dance team. She's now a cog to their performance schedule. She has found a new passion in performing on Trapeze. She set a goal of being in at least one live performance last year, and to date, she has been in a dozen. She's now performing with a Disney Princess acting group, another dream. She has just been adopted by a rock band to lead them in a new direction. She has a plate full of opportunities, and activities.
In December I finished creating her website. In January, she was contacted by a local charity who found her through her website. They asked her if she could put a group together to be the VIP entertainers for their event this month. We assembled a team, wrote a proposal, presented it. She was sure they would say no, and book someone else. I reassured her, repeatedly, that it was pretty much in the bag. She doubted it right up until the day they called and agreed to her proposal. She got the gig.
Last night she said thank you.
I asked, for what?
She said, all of this. All of her success. It was all because of me.
I said, no. No, it doesn't happen if she isn't a quality person, with immeasurable skills, and her energy that draws people to her. Websites and photos and graphics create illusions. The quality of the product either confirms the illusion as reality, or as just an illusion.
She accomplishes he goals because people see right away, it's not an illusion.
But for me, saying thank you as we review plots, and plans over dinner is nice, but it feels lacking. Yes, I want something a bit more grand. Public acknowledgement. Stand up for me when people question the why's of our relationship. Not just appreciate the utility that is me, but the person that I am, in all aspects.
Show me.
I've said it a thousand times through the years.
Show me what it means to you. Show me what I mean to you. Show me that you're proud to be my partner, and that I am yours.
Actions need to back those words, and until they do, I'm going to question what the words really mean.
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