That Toddlin' Town

Today is the first day of the rest of Bimpsy's life. Bimpsy, to those who don't know, is my beloved sister Samantha, and we can both thank our dad for the crazy nicknames that only make sense once we explain the trail from Amanda and Samantha to "Boonzie" and "Bimpsy." That, however, is a different subject...

Bimpsy is, as I write, driving across the mid-west, U-Haul in tow, with Mom and Ronnie to her new digs in Chicago, where she will finally begin "livin' the dream," which is to become a great stage actress. After paying for her first month's rent and deposit on a studio apartment, she is armed with about $2000 which she earned while building up her résumé acting in plays, doing improv, and teaching courses in drama camps throughout the summer (with a little waitressing thrown in for good measure). She's got a college degree to help her get a decent nine-to-fiver, and she'll be pounding the pavement in any spare time she gets for auditions and the like in order to hone in on her craft. She's got a bed that slightly sags in the middle, two emerald-green chairs that were Grandma and Grandpa's, boots that are made for walkin', and all the heart and determination in the world. In short, she's got the world on a string, and I am so proud of her I could just cry (and I have). It is so rare that you get to see someone actually grab their brass ring and not only hang on, but use it to swing head first into the open arms of the future, blissfully receptive to any and every adventure to come their way. I'm so lucky, because I get to see this in my sister. The coolest thing is that she doesn't want to act because she wants to have millions, or to look glamourous on the covers of magazines, or even to be immortalized on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She wants to do this because she just simply loves it. She needs to act like the rest of us need to breathe, and she doesn't care who recognizes her or rewards her, as long as she is doing it for herself. How many of us can truly say that we do what we love in our careers, no matter how great or small the returns? If you can, then count yourself as truly blessed ,'cause there are some of us out there who may never know what that's like. Sam's gonna know what that's like, and the rest of us get to be part of that, through the light in her eyes as she lights up the stage. Sam IS an actress, and I have no doubt that she can act circles around any Oscar winner out there. But no golden trophies or streets named after her are necessary (though I do like "Bimpsy Boulevard"). The only accolades she needs are the ones she'll get every day, waking up and looking at herself in the mirror and saying, "I'm really doing this. I'm making my life happen instead of waiting for it to happen to me."

Hats off to you, Dame Bimpsy, and save me a seat at the Tonys. I love you!