Where Dreams Come True

“Sometimes the dreams that come true are the dreams you never even knew you had.”  Alice Sebold

My mother always tried to teach us to appreciate things outside of our direct neighborhood. My mother was a traveler. Although she never had a high paying job, she managed to put aside money so that she could travel. Her curiosity about the world and more importantly, the peoples of the world spawned her to always make provisions to see and do something different. I came to realize that the “loving to travel” aspect of her, my sister inherited whereas, I, like my father, am basically a homebody. During very tumultuous times in the middle east my mother took, not only one, but two trips to the Holy Land. As I have spoken of before, my middle child, Maya, has that same “traveling spirit”. Those two will forever be “the brave ones” in the family. Two coveted traits that I got from both my parents, but particularly from my mom, is the love of music and the love of the spoken word. My mother did everything she could to foster that spirit in my brother, sister and me. We went to every free concert in Prospect Park, Brooklyn – from musicals to classical music concerts – if it was free, we were going!! The event that stands out for me as I look back, is my getting to see “A Raisin in the Sun” written by Lorraine Hansberry. It was the summer of 1964. There was mention that A Raisin in the Sun was to be performed in Prospect park. I remember my mother being so excited about going. I believe it was part of the “Thursday Night Series”.  I was young so I didn’t realize the importance or implications of seeing a live Broadway show (now off Broadway). The historical significance is that Lorraine Hansberry was the first Black women to write a play performed on Broadway. This was actually the first time I was able to see black performers in a play. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!!! I also remember my mother taking me to see “Fiddler on the Roof”. I couldn’t decide which I loved more – the musical or the straight drama. I came to the realization that I didn’t have to pick one over the other, I loved both!!!! One year for my father’s birthday, which was in August, I took my parents to see “Dream Girls”. My father had never gone to see a play. He was always busy “making a life for us” that he very seldom took time to do fun things. Since he absolutely loved the “Supremes” and this play was a prototype for what was very popular in the 1960s and 1970s – girl singing groups, I thought he, in particular, would enjoy it.  I can’t even explain to you how much he enjoyed it. He talked about that play for months and months afterwards. It made me feel good that I could bring some joy to him. I believe that if you’re given a gift, you should try as much as possible to share it – pass it on…… It was in that spirit that I determined that when I had children I would expose them to that same gift. I’m not crystal clear about the year but after talking to my youngest child, Nayda, and checking Wikipedia (smile), I’d say the year was 1993.  That would make Nayda about 6 and Maya around 9 and Yamil 10/11 when I finally had saved enough money to treat them to a play. I conferred with my long time friend about taking her boys and going to a show. The children were all around the same age and spent a portion of just about every day together. I was sure her youngest would thoroughly enjoy it since it seems he was born a performer himself. Even today he performs to great acclaim. I actually think I was more excited about the trip then the children. We were taking them to see “The Wiz”. I was particularly excited because Stephanie Mills was playing Dorothy and she grew up in the adjourning neighborhood from my childhood neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY. In fact my father went to the same church as her and her parents, so she was definitely a “home girl”. I was so proud that she had made it all the way to the “big stage”.

The night of the performance, I got the children all dressed up and my girlfriend and I, along with  the five children, went to the play. The atmosphere was magical. The bustle of the crowds, the raw energy in the venue was beyond ecstatic. And then it was time….. the lights dimmed and the curtain opened and we all entered into another realm. The performance was top notch, the singing, the costumes, the lighting and myriad of stage scenes, some quite intricate, were first rate. The children seemed mesmerized by the performances. Their engagement in the whole experience was worth every penny, every sacrifice.  I too, enjoyed it being reminded of my elementary school days when I, against all odds, got to play Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz  for my elementary school. And although I never made it to the “big stage”, the play was such a success that it was written up in the local newspaper and we got to perform for the district.  In my own small way, in my own small corner of that big massive place called New York, in that borough of Brooklyn where yes, magical things can happen, where you can dream big dreams, I eased on down the road and traveled somewhere over the rainbow.

“If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why oh why can’t I?”