The person who was head of costumes before me left her notes. Lessons plans, timelines leading up to a show, guidelines for keeping the costume room running smoothly, that kind of thing. The first step after a play is cast is to measure each person. Six numbers all contribute to the task of creating garb for someone who needs to be transformed into an ogre, or a white rabbit. I am mindful to keep the teenager's self image intact. Being of an age where body image is fragile. You know, at a point when they are more gorgeous, energetic, and supple than they will ever be again, they are prone to insecurity. Hence the delicacy. I suspect that taking stats on octogenarians would entail more laughter than sucked in bellies. 

 

This is all requisite for the jobs that actually happen off stage. Finding a pattern. Choosing fabric. Snipping with scissors. Heading to the machine and hunkering down. 

 

The part I am good at.

 

I have sewn costumes before. My son asked for a Ronald McDonald get up for a Halloween party. He chose it because he already had the unruly red hair. Micah only gave me a few hours' notice but he was quite pleased with the end product. Benjamin was Woody for eight years running, and while the vest got tighter the pull string in the back still worked. He provided the talking.

 

Once I cranked out four white dresses with colorful sashes and puffy sleeves for a dance concert. I was given measurements which I referred to regularly. Not because I had any judgments about how large or small any of the specific numbers were. But because I wanted them to fit. Too snug means it is hard to dance. Too baggy means it looks sloppy. Bodies are merely the packages we come in. But don't waste your breath trying to convince a sixteen year old of that. 

 

Each of us have a life that is made to order for us. Not grabbed off the rack and tossed in our direction. Tailor made. In the effort to sharpen our mental acuity we are kick started with problems to solve. In the hope of becoming more compassionate we are heaped with misfortune. As a means of growing spiritually we are run through natural obstacle courses. Not because God is discontent with who we are now, but because our happiness increases with those qualities. Hence He is busy off stage fitting us with just the right circumstances for our eternal joy. 

 

The part He is good at.