Defy Gravity

The musical Wicked ... pause for a moment of inhale and smiles ... has a song that I really like called Defy Gravity. In this song, Elphaba (the "Wicked Witch") is telling Glinda (the ga is silent, toss toss) that she is tired of sitting back and pretending everything is fine in the Land of Oz. She says:

"Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I'm through with playing by the rules
Of someone else's game..."

"I'm through accepting limits
'Cause someone says they're so
Some things I cannot change
But 'till I try, I'll never know..."

Then she talks about defying gravity and how it is time to stop letting others pull you down. There are times when going with the status quo costs too much within us. We should never let others pull us down.

When I saw this musical ... for the 3rd time ... in Chicago I was with a group of women whom I love, adore, and look up to. We had really good seats and had a great night. At the end of the night we bought these fun friendship bracelets ... well because we could. One says "Popular" another "Wicked" and the third "Defy Gravity"

I was thinking about these women and my bracelet the other day and I realized how profound this message is: DEFY GRAVITY. Some of the lessons I learned from these women I went to Wicked in Chicago with were so profound that they will stick with me for the rest of my life. That and they make the best panini's in the world. Shout out to my Panini Night girls! These women had a chance to do something different and make their lives better. Not only that but they worked really hard to enrich the lives of their loved ones. To coin a phrase from another song in Wicked "Because I knew you, I have been changed for good."

Living life as everyone else expects is not always what is in the best interest for ... well really anyone. I think there are times when it is appropriate for an individual to give advice on how another should live ones life, but for the most part I know it is important for everyone to decide what is best for them. To look outside the norm and buck the status quo. To defy gravity and stretch our wings and fly! Now of course there are limits to this, our defying should never put another in harm or do damage to that which is not ours, we should not break the laws of the land. But thinking outside the box and making joy happen in our lives is all part of the plan. So go ahead: color outside the line, step on the crack, walk backwards, wear white after Labor Day and live life to the fullest. The only real limits in your life might be the ones you place there yourself.

"I hope you are happy in the end.

I hope you are happy my friend.

So if you care to find me,

Look to the western sky.

"As someone told me lately

Everyone deserves a chance to fly.

If I am flying solo at least I am flying free

To those who ground me,

Take a message back from me.

Tell them how I am defying gravity

"I am flying high

Defying gravity...

And no one is ever going to bring me down!"