Curtain Up on the Third Act

After months of wondering what my “third act” might be, life decided to hand me a script I didn’t expect.

I haven’t written on here in so long simply because life (both personally and globally) felt too overwhelming for me to feel creative or talkative. As if nothing I had to say really mattered much. But something happened this past week that made me feel it was time to return to my writing.

I’ve been wondering for a while what my third act of life should be. I’ve reinvented myself from corporate America to arts administration, all the while pursuing my creative endeavors of writing, acting, and filmmaking. I’ve been looking at several areas—from nonprofit and advocacy work to marketing and communications. I’ll admit that someone my age isn’t so readily accepted into a new working environment. It’s probably why so many stay in a job that no longer fulfills them until they retire. But I made the tough decision to walk away and throw myself into the job search. (I’ll be the first to admit I’m lucky in that I have a spouse who is extremely supportive of my endeavors—as varied as they may be.)

I decided this summer to get my substitute teacher certification. I’ve always loved my visits to schools as an author and speaker, and so many people in my family have been teachers. Something in my gut told me it might be a stepping stone to that third act. However, how much can you really see what a job is like by going into a school once in a while to fill in?

Then the wildest thing happened: I got a text saying a school needed a theater teacher to fill in for almost three months and asked if I’d be interested. “Yes,” I said, without even blinking. A week later I was interviewed and hired. Another week later I was shadowing the teacher. I had my first day alone on Friday, and it was truly such a joy. I couldn’t believe how happy I felt, how at peace I was... how it just felt right.

I’m not saying this will be the third act of my life, but I’m excited to see what the next ten weeks will bring. Who else would get such an amazing opportunity to “try out” a new career before jumping in fully? Curtain up on this act while I see what the future has in store.