Come and Play with Us

If you're in the Chicago area on the weekend of November 7 or November 14, then you may want to stop by the Irish American Heritage Center and watch the play Six Stories Up in Peace. It's funny, and interesting on many levels. 

Six Stories Up is an annual production of six original stories woven together around a theme. This year's theme of peace is especially significant considering the vitriolic nature of the political campaign and the fear associated with the economic crisis.

In one of the lines, the Mother Teresa character says "Perhaps Dan has no peace because he forgot that we belong to each other." For some reason that line continues to unfold for me as we rehearse for the show. 

Have we forgotten that we belong to each other? Are we angry because we think that the rich guys got away with something and we are bailing them out? Or are we afraid that someone will take away our comforts so that some poor person can have a better life? 

I believe that we do belong to each other. I find joy in discovering the magnificence in everyone I meet, especially those who may be marginalized by disability, age, or poverty. That's why I am grateful to be a mentor in Six Stories Up.

Six Stories Up pairs up six adult mentors with six middle school children to produce an original theater production.  

Each adult/child team works together for six weeks to write a 10-12 minute theater piece on an assigned theme. The entire group comes together to weave the pieces into a full-length show, which is performed for two weekends at a professional theater. We also provide apprentice opportunities for children in set design, mask making, music composition and stage management.  Because of the intimacy of the group, we are able to take the time to draw out the specific abilities of each child and empower him or her to shine. Kids with disabilities get starring roles, which they rarely get in school. The adults and kids without disabilities grow in their understanding of disability.

Because this year's theme is peace, we researched Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, Mother Teresa, Wangari Maathai, Greg Mortenson, Socrates, Confucius, and more. The result is not only hilarious, but also poignant and moving. 

So if you have time and you want to remember once again that we in fact do belong to each other, please come to Six Stories Up in Peace. Get details here>>

Call 312-409-1025 for reservations. Adults and children over 5 years old will love it.

If we have no peace it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other - Mother Teresa

One Penny Buys a Pencil

I met Greg Mortenson! I'm not sure who was more excited, me or Rashad (the boy who I am mentoring in this year's Six Stories Up performance). Here's how it happened. When I found out that Greg Mortenson (Three Cups of Tea) would be in Rockford for International Peace Weekend, I got on the phone to see if we could get in to see him. Every event was sold out and booked up. Everybody kept saying "No." Then serendipity stepped in and I somehow found the man who was sponsoring Greg's visit, Jim Keeling. Jim immediately arranged for Rashad to meet Greg. That's important, because Rashad and I are writing a scene in the play in which Rashad is playing Greg's character.

Wow! It turned out to be one of those days when you smile so much that your cheek muscles hurt. Greg Mortenson is one of the most gracious, generous and kind hearted people that I have ever met. He not only took time to talk to us. He also introduced Rashad to the audience as "the other Greg," told us he'd try to come and see the play, and told Rashad a fascinating story about how when Greg was held hostage for eight days he overcame his fear of his captors by trying to make friends with them and eventually winning them over to the point that they freed him and contributed money to build more schools.

The other exciting part of the day, was the power of the penny. While the politicians in Washington and the investors on Wall Street were wringing their hands over our nation's money problems. Children from Rockford were collecting Pennies for Peace. They then presented Greg with a check for $53,800. That's enough money to build a school in Pakistan or Afghanistan and run it for three years! 

"A penny in America buys nothing, but over there it buys one pencil," Greg told the audience. 

By the way, that was a herculean effort on the part of the kids. That check represented 5 million 3 hundred and 80 thousand pennies!

I am so thankful for Greg Mortenson who overcame unbelievable odds to make sure that girls get the education they deserve. (If you haven't read his story yet, here's more.) 

I am also grateful for those who dig deep into their pockets to give no matter what their financial worries may be. 

They are the people who help me remember that in giving of that which is larger than ourselves, our personal worries disappear. Yes, I still worry a little about my job, my daughter's college tuition, and my retirement fund. But really, I'm having a whole lot more fun finding Pennies for Peace, and watching Rashad blossom in his role as Greg Mortenson. 

To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children, to earn the approbation of honest critics; to appreciate beauty; to give of one's self, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived--that is to have succeeded.   -  Ralph Waldo Emerson