I‘m standing in the wings.

Waiting
for my turn to go on.

I’ve prepared, sure.
But can you ever fully prepare for the REAL thing?

I’m sweating, like through my shirt, my face feels HOT.
My heart, beating in my face, in my chest, in my hands.

In true old-habits-die-hard fashion, my mind is brilliantly concocting an exit plan, how to get myself out of this predicament I’ve gotten myself into.

In fact, I’m starting to tiptoe, slowly toward the exit.
I can feel the familiar sense of relaxation starting to come over me already, as I realize – I’m going to make it.
I’m getting out of this.

And then He says, “You’re on.

go, go, GO!”

. . . with a not-so-gentle nudge toward center stage . . .