Yesterday we went to our seven-year-old daughter Sagey’s dance recital.  We brought all of our kids so Philippe and I each had a 13 month-old baby boy on our lap and Madison (age 13) and Phoenix (age 4) on our sides.  It was in Watertown High School’s auditorium, which holds a lot of people.  We had bought our tickets months before and when showed up and sat down in our pre-assigned seats, we were seated right next to our best friends who live three doors down from us.  Synchronicity!  They have four kids and all their kids are best friends with our kids.  Good stuff.

The first hour was fantastic.  So fun.  The energy was great, the kids adorable, the choreography and costumes impressive.  Then the recital was over, or so I thought.  No, it was intermission. This concerned me because if it had already been an hour and now it was intermission, and well, that must mean that there was an hour to go.  Gasp!  I didn’t know how my 13 month-old boys would do.  I didn’t know how my four-year-old boy would do.  I didn’t know how Supermom would do!  It was noon and I was hungry.  Nursing twins makes my already big appetite even bigger.  I had assumed the recital would be an hour and hadn’t brought snacks for any of us.

Another hour later and it was still not close to being finished.  “OMG!” I thought.  Are they out of their minds?  This audience is packed with families with small children.  How do they expect us all to sit still for over two hours?

Three and a half hours later (!), the director came out and began thanking everyone.  OMG, she went on, and on, and on.  And on!  As I watched her I wondered if she felt the energy in the room.  Everyone had had enough––hours before.  What had begun as wonderful was ending as anything but.  “I’m starving!” I said to my friend and she responded, “I’m not hungry but I feel like I’ve been on a ten hour flight.”

The lesson?  Too much of a good thing?  Be aware vs. clueless?  Balance?  Be cognizant of who your audience is?

There were many.

My friend and I are trying to figure out how we can anonymously give this feedback to the director.  Because if she’s not aware, she should be told.  That’s how we all grow––through feedback.  If we’re open enough to hear it.

Why anonymous?  Well, no one wants to be “that” parent and then have “that feedback” transferred onto your child.

So today I have so much gratitude for all of the feedback I receive from our Prana Power Yoga students.  About the heat.  About the teaching.  About the schedule.  About everything.  I know it takes courage to give the feedback and I’m so grateful that they know that they can give me feedback and I’ll hear it and receive it with an open heart and mind and learn and grow from it.

Ask yourself if you’re open to feedback when it comes, no matter what the form.