A Nod to Tony

View from an airplane window at the wings and flying over a scenic landscape of green hills and rivers

I am curious…if you had 30 seconds on a world stage to offer thanks, to acknowledge support received, to make a political statement, to “audition” for your next gig, to smile for the masses…what would you say and to whom? What would this moment be for you?

As she accepted her 5th career Tony honor last night, Actress Angela Lansbury said she would “talk about how she feels” and not read off a list of every name of every person she met. She must have zillions of people to thank. And what we got was a moment of honesty, humility, and essence. We heard about privilege and gratitude, honor and joy rather than names of management and lawyers and stagehands. How refreshing.

Maybe, in the moment, our job is really to receive and not give. Often words cannot capture the moment so what would it be like to simply, proudly, elegantly stand on that stage, smile, and take a bow? What would it be like to have our faces and our emotions and our energy convey to people what the moment means without the lists?

And sometimes “thank you” is just enough!