THE LOVE RUB

 A FEW DAYS AGO I WATCHED A REEL

THAT SHOWED THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW 

BY SMELL IF YOU GREW UP IN THE 70'S.

I WENT DOWN A NOSTALGIC RABBIT HOLE...

"BOX OF CRAYOLA CRAYONS"

"A DITTO COPY TEST"

THERE WERE MANY OTHERS BUT THE ONE THAT

JUST THE THOUGHT OF IT, GOT ME ALL UP IN MY FEELS WAS

"VICKS VAPOR RUB"

AWWWWEEE YEAH! 

THAT WONDERFUL MINTY SMELL OF LOVE...

MY PARENTS, ESPECIALLY MY MOM

BELIEVED IN THAT VICKS.

IT WAS GOING IN THE VAPORIZER 

AND ON YOUR CHEST....

IT WAS GOING ON THE SOLES OF YOUR FEET

WITH SOCKS ON TOP TO HOLD IN THE BURN...

IT SEEMED TO BE MAGIC TO ME BACK THEN.

THEN I HAD MY OWN CHILDREN

AND THE NAME WENT FROM VICKS VAPOR RUB

TO "LOVE RUB"

BOTH MY KIDDO'S DIDN'T LIKE LOTIONS AND SUCH.

YET, WHEN THEY WOULD BECOME ILL

THEY NEVER SAID NO TO THE BLUE BOTTLE 

I PULLED OUT OF THE MEDICINE CABINET.

THERE IS NOTHING MORE NOSTALGIC

THAN HAVING YOUR MOMMA RUB THIS THICK GEL

ONTO YOUR BODY.

I HONESTLY NOW BELIEVE IT WAS NOT FOR 

THE MEDICINAL CAPABILITIES IT HELD 

BUT FOR THE TLC IT PROVIDED FOR A SICK CHILD.

I KNOW WHEN MY OWN MOMMA OR DADDY 

APPLIED IT TO MY CHEST OR FEET,

THE LOVING FEELING LAST LONGER THAN THE 

ICY FEELING YOUR SKIN FELT.

SCIENTISTS WHO STUDY THIS MEMORY CALL IT THE

PROUST EFFECT:

THE PHENOMENON WHERE SPECIFIC SMELLS

TRIGGER DETAILED AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL MEMORIES.

IF I HAD A BOTTLE OF VICKS IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW

I COULD CLOSE MY EYES AND BE BROUGHT BACK 

TO MY CHILDHOOD FROM JUST ONE SNIFF.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, 

I WOULD ALSO BE BROUGHT BACK TO A TIME

WHEN I WAS CALLED MOMMA BY MY CHILDREN

AND THAT FAMOUS BLUE BOTTLE WOULD 

ONCE AGAIN BE USED

TO RUB SOME LOVE INTO MY CHILD'S BODY.

ALWAYS RUBBED IN EXTRA CARE,

SEALED IN THE BOTTOM OF THE FEET WITH A PAIR OF SOCKS.

MAYBE THIS WAS DONE TO KEEP THE VAPORUB WORKING LONGER

BUT I LIKE TO BELIEVE IT WAS TO SEAL THE LOVE

INTO THE HEART, FOR THE LOVE TO BE BROUGHT BACK

BY JUST A SIMPLE SMELL FROM A BLUE BOTTLE 

CALLED VICKS VAPOR RUB.

MARY POPPINS, JR.

 For the past 7 months Iberville Theater,

which is also a part of WE ARE THE DIFFERENCE,

has worked on putting on a child's theater play,

MARY POPPINS, JR.

Rhonda, our director and Alicia, music director 

and myself have worked tirelessly with these children.

Some came to us, never having been in any theater performance before.

Others came with some experience.

It was a big cast and getting all players to a 

twice a week practice all together was almost impossible.

Rhonda worked tirelessly on schedules to try and

incorporate the schedules of very busy children and parents.

I honestly don't know how she does it all.

It is finally time for the performance.

Practice on stage began Wednesday night with 

dress rehearsal....

We were all a bit worried.

As I said, some of these children have never performed on stage.

It was also the adults first time to work out the kinks

for stage presence. 

Thursday, there was a 4 hour practice, now microphones were added.

these children, all rallied around the concept of learning

what they had to do.

Friday night..... well, they did it!

These children pulled off a performance that blew us out of the park.

As I stood in the audience to watch in case they became stuck,

I had a moment where I felt like I could cry...

To watch one child who stuttered get on that stage

and belt out his part with so much confidence and not one missed word,

the little ones, performing their little hearts out...

I could go on and on about how good theater is for children.

Although I am a helper, my work in this play was nothing

compared to what Rhonda and Alicia have done with these children.

Each child has become so important to us, 

 we have bonded with each one of them.

They will all be missed by me for sure.

Of course, I would not be called Mumsie

if I didn't brag about my own grand girl.

When she was cast as Mary Poppins she understood 

what a big deal this was going to be.

To watch her on stage, without one ounce of nervousness,

having found "her thing" 

well it was just enough to make us all so very proud of her.

Theater is so good for children and its sad

that there are not many theater groups in schools anymore.

for our Jemma Jew, she transforms on stage.

A big shout out to all of you who came to watch

Mary Poppins, the support is so necessary!