That’s me in the photo, with my brother Mike.
I was about five-years-old, sporting my mom’s sunglasses and my grandmother’s cigarette holder.
I remember the day vividly: sunny, summer, goofing around with my brothers at my grandparents’ house.
But then things turned.
I don’t remember why or what caused it. All I know is I felt picked on, grievously injured. (Not uncommon when you’re the youngest, the only girl, and you have three older brothers.)
So how did I handle it? Well, I marched over to the nearest telephone pole. Slung my arms up to rest on it. Hung my head down. Then loudly proclaimed:
I can’t take it anymore!
As if on cue, my brothers broke into hysterical laughter, deriding me for being a drama queen. And then they left me alone. All because, without even thinking about it, I made this angst-filled, melodramatic proclamation.
Yes, kids are good at that.
The thing is, though, it doesn’t just happen when we’re children. You probably remember times as an adult when you said or thought something that just didn’t seem like you at all.
Something that was melodramatic.
Uncharacteristic.
Overblown.
Exaggerated.
Histrionic.
Something that was even embarrassing?
You might think that the best course of action when this happens is to get yourself in line and move on. Because you don’t want to be overacting your way through life, right?
But what if there was more to consider here? What if these unexpected eruptions represented deeper parts of you that were asking for air time?
What if this was the only way they knew to get your attention?
The truth is that deep, soulful, archetypal energies are not neat and well-mannered.
They don’t keep their elbows off the table or chew with their mouths closed.
They’re wild forces of nature, speaking a primitive language that doesn’t always go over well in day-to-day interactions.
And yet, whenever such a force shows up, it’s good to pay attention. Something powerful has just emerged. And it may give you insight or motivate transformation around an area of your life that’s truly important to you.
Perhaps you’ve guessed I speak from experience. My Drama Queen has stayed with me long past the time of childhood.
She can be loud, frantic, obnoxious, prima donna-ish, feet-stamping, high strung and shallow. She definitely knows how to throw a fit when she feels neglected. But when I give her some time and attention, I often find there’s a whole lot of wisdom underneath the drama.
So next time you find yourself acting out, or wanting to, you might consider exploring whether there’s some wisdom to be found beneath your own drama.
You could do that by…
Naming it, stepping into it, moving with the energy of your Drama Queen.
Speaking as your Drama Queen: I am, I feel, I have, I can, I know.
Engaging in a dialogue with her. Writing her a letter.
Creating a mask or shrine or doll in her honor.
So here’s something for you to reflect on: what kind of relationship do you have with your own Drama Queen?
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Comments are closed since I’m madly studying for exams (although blogging continues). I’m on social media hiatus too but love hearing from you by email: pattybechtold (at) gmail (dot) com. You can also sign up for my Inner Circle Newsletter right here and get monthly-ish inspiration delivered straight to your inbox.
