“I’ll never get this part. The casting director hates me.” My daughter Sam stressed over her audition for Mary Poppins.
“I’m sure the director doesn’t hate you,” I said.
“He only gives roles to kids he likes. So I’m not even going to try out.” Her voice got quiet. “He thinks I stirred up drama earlier this year, but I didn’t do anything wrong.”
No amount of encouragement from anyone changed her mind about auditioning. She stood firm that she was in the right, and she would not apologize or even smooth things over with the casting director.
I dropped her off at theater camp on audition day, fully prepared for Sam to be cast in the chorus ensemble.
Imagine my surprise when I heard she auditioned anyway. She started her audition with, “I want to start this audition with an apology. I regret any drama I may have caused earlier this season, and I promise to work on my lines and my singing instead of gossiping with my friends.” Then she sang in her best British accent.
“The director actually smiled a real smile at me,” she said. “Oh, yeah, and I got the part!”
Imagine how differently her audition would have gone if she had not humbled herself first, even when she still felt she was right. Imagine how differently it would have turned out if she had not auditioned at all, arms crossed in the corner, fuming silently over being in the chorus ensemble again.
For some of us, it’s hard to imagine letting go of that outer pride shell. For those of us who hold our pride in high regard above all else, so many things stand in our way – mostly ourselves and the high horses we ride in on.
When God calls us home, He calls only our souls. We leave all of our other shells behind. If the deadly sin of pride is one of your afflictions, here is your not-so-gentle reminder that humility in character and strong relationships with others are more important.
What is one thing you can do to shed your pride shell?
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Gina Napoli lives in Harrisburg, PA, and is author of Clunk on the Head: How the Holy Spirit Got Our Attention. She has also been published in Highlights for Children, Pockets, Guardian Angel Kids, Hopscotch, and Humpty Dumpty. She publishes articles regularly in two regional publications: The Burg and Business Woman. She also publishes in the state-wide online magazine, Keystone Edge. Her writing is featured in two book anthologies: A Community of Writers and Bitter Sweet. Two hundred of her pieces appear in almost sixty different print and electronic media venues.