We are only two months into the year, and we have already lost several great entertainers. On January 10th, musician David Bowie died. In the musical world, he gave us a variety of songs and genres, from pop rock to soul. On January 14th, we lost actor Alan Rickman. He is probably best known for his role as Professor Snape in the Harry Potter series, but he also entertained us in many other roles, such as the bad guy Hans Gruber in Die Hard and the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Then, on January 18th, the earthly soul of Glenn Frey, of Eagles fame, left this world. Although these men were very different, they have one thing in common—they made us believe. We believed in their songs. Their lyrics touched our hearts and gave us comfort in knowing we were not alone in our feelings. Alan Rickman made us despise a character, and then, in the end, made us cheer for him, shed a tear for him and wish we would have known his story sooner. These men, from various backgrounds and genres, commanded a stage and opened our eyes, ears and emotions.
We may not command a stage with the eyes of thousands upon us, but we command a stage in the way we live our lives. In our daily interactions with others, we have an audience. How your audience feels when they leave you is completely up to you. We have the power to make someone believe in their self worth, to encourage someone, to boost someone’s confidence and believe in their ability, and to make someone feel better having been in our presence.
The actors, musicians, dancers and comedians we have lost over the years are memorable. We can hear songs, watch movies or performances from the past and we are transported back to another time. We can remember how we felt, who we were with and what the world was like. Will the people in your audience be able to say that about your performance in life? Will your role be memorable in a positive way? Will you give them a “peaceful, easy feeling” and make them believe? And will their lives be better for having known you?
RIP David, Alan and Glenn. Thank you for making us believe.
