The Art of Asking for Wiggle Room; and a Date with More ... Theatre

Today I had a deadline of work that needed to be completed by 5pm (or thereabouts). 

I was set up for a day of computer based work in my studio and then something intervened. 

I got a phone call from a friend who had a free ticket for Cats, being shown at the theatre here in Liverpool.  

Cats! Wow! 

I was only just saying yesterday how I'd love to see it (thank you Universe!).

What to do?  

I had to really think about this.

I have quite an important deadline to meet.  Not one of my own exactly but one from an organisation that I work for - so I had to really stop for a moment and ask myself.

What to do?

Ok, so this thing called life.... it's all about noticing and listening to opportunities in front of us right?

One of my desires is to say yes to Musical Theatre more.  

I have said that I want to go more for this for the past year.   I have tended to stay back due to the financial cost but my new desire from now on is to embrace more theatre, regularly.

There I have declared it, I do believe.

So I'm having this dialogue... convincing myself that I need to ask the organisation for some 'wiggle room',  a couple of days extension and I would be able to go to the theatre.

Theatre is one of my Yes'es.
I adore live musical theatre.
Toe-tapping, full-on Musical.
I love anything on stage, live productions.
I'm enamoured by sets, clothing, staging, musical numbers, dancers, singers, lighting.
You name it.
I'm mesmerised.
I feel connected to Life, to Creation and the human capacity to create Magic on stage. 

So here I am thinking about 'wiggle room' and the only way I know I will find out is if I ask.  

Yes, ask.

There's a part of me that doesn't like to let people down, especially people I work for. There's a part of me that thinks they'll think less of me because I haven't managed my time effectively to have had this work done before the day of the deadline.  

(I had already done 76%, this was the last chunk).

But then I came back to the main reason for this.

Musical Theatre was here, on my lap.  

Could I take off the afternoon?

Working for yourself, I'm always faced with a dilemma like this, but the more I develop my business, the more I realise that it helps to fuel my love of self, it inspires me, boosts me and then I return invigorated.

So first off, I write an email.  I didn't lie.  I told the truth.
I said I had been offered the ticket to Cats.

The reply I got was this:-

How could anybody possibly refuse free tickets to see CATS, I have seen it really enjoyed it.

Yes, we will leave processing the remaining work until Friday.

There and then, my wiggle room had been granted.

I was going.

The Magical Lesson of the Day is:

Sometimes we first need to know what is worth wiggling for and then we have to ask for it.

And Asking for Wiggle Room gets me to see CATS

Oh My Goddess.... I loved it.

The costumes, the choreography, the sets, the music, the lighting.  

I had no idea that Cats is based on TS Eliot's book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cat Quotes.

After I left the theatre to walk and catch the bus home, I walked out of The Liverpool Empire onto a bustling Wednesday night of christmas shoppers.

Directly opposite the theatre is the neo-classical building, St George's Hall, built in the 1800's.  Such a wonderful site awash with huge panels of fairy lights, with a Menorah right at the heart of it as 8th day Chanukah comes to a close.

Couldn't be better!

Wiggle room rocks.

Let's Say YES to Wiggle Room.

What am I saying Yes to?

Yes to losing myself in sketches, colour and magical pens

Yes to an armful of twinkly bracelets that catch the light

Yes to hair that is left to dried naturally

Yes to spontaneous theatre visits and kindness of friends :)

Yes to the heart to heart hug my dog gives me as she stretches herself along my chest.

Yes to stroking my cat’s belly

Yes to studio time

Yes to new and old connections and reconnections

Yes to taking time to light my altar

Yes to soaking my feet

Yes to candles

Yes to fairy lights

Yes to warm sweaters and thick socks

Yes to hot water bottle covers that soothe me

Yes to time off

Yes to time spent with my journal

Yes to hot tea and travel mugs and whipped cream

Yes to wicker baskets

Yes to organised shelves

Yes to warm loving hugs

Yes to kisses 

Do you need to ask for Wiggle Room?   What is it?  

Do let me know in the comments as I would seriously Love to Know.

Have a really lovely week.
Julia xxx