What if everything goes wrong?

One week before I put on the show “Let’s Talk About Fear” at the Comedy Studio in Cambridge I was nervous. Well, let’s skip the euphemism: I was having a minor meltdown. There are so many things that can go wrong with a production. I feared that not enough people would come. I feared that too many people would come and not like the show. I feared people would be offended and judge me. With any type of art, it is impossible to predict how it will be received. It is equally impossible to put things out in the world and be immune to the reactions of others. But we can change our perspective. As I called my sister in complete distress, she provided the following angle: “Let’s say everything goes to hell in a handbasket,” she said. “Let’s say it is a complete flop. What do you still have left in your life?” Well, pretty much anything that is of value to me: my family, my friends, myself. And that was all I needed to continue.