Monday, February 14, 2011

Show Up


I just got back from a big celebration for a couple who was finally able to adopt a baby.  I was surrounded by a hundred beautiful, wealthy, confident, loud, high-energy, smart people busy enjoying their lives and living their dreams.  These are people I love, respect, am slightly jealous of, and quite intimidated by; they are my relatives.  Very Logan Huntzberger-type people whose lives and mouths are all going the speed of Gilmore Girls dialogue and I'm usually standing there with my head spinning, thinking and speaking at the speed of Megan (that's me) - slower; wanting to keep up (in many ways), but not quite there.  

But I showed up.

People have said it different ways (i.e. Woody Allen), but my whole life I have said, "half of life is showing up" because your life doesn't begin and nothing happens until YOU SHOW UP.  Sure, once you show up in your life, to an event or in a new place you then have to do something, but half the battle is won at that point.

Lorelai is our exemplar for showing up.  She shows up, and thus things happen, which is what we love about her, about Stars Hollow, and about Gilmore Girls in general.  We love that STUFF HAPPENS.  It all starts with showing up.  She shows up at town meetings and celebrations, in conversations and disagreements, in decisions and relationships.  She shows up when it's uncomfortable (e.g. Friday night dinners, Luke's when reconciliation is needed). 

Just showing up in Stars Hollow when she left home was huge.  That was the beginning of everything.  She didn't have all the answers, didn't know exactly what she would do, but by packing up, leaving, and showing up in Stars Hollow she opened the way; by trusting herself to figure it out and giving herself the chance to become who she wanted to be she is living her life the way she wants to.   

Show up in your life.  Just go to things.  Something.  Anything.  That's the beginning.  Participation and growth will come when you're ready.  Intimidation and discomfort will lessen.  Show up around the people and in the places and situations you want to be part of. 
You, your life, and your dreams are as valuable as you decide they are (think Logan again here) so decide now that you and yours are worth it, and then show up so things can start happening.