self portrait, canon 50d ~ august break #27

Today I was reminded of a brave moment in my life.

In my mid-twenties, a girlfriend of mine took me to Napa for my birthday. As we were sitting on a blanket in the grass, sipping wine and eating cheese, we noticed a wooden stage in the middle of wide open space of the grass. People were laying and sitting around it, doing much of what her and I were doing. She giggled a bit into her wine glass and wore a mischievous grin. "I dare you to get up on that stage and recite a poem." I sat and thought for a moment. Then, to her surprise, I got up and walked over to the stage, hearing her "oh. my. gosh." behind me.

I stood up on that stage and took a deep breath and shouted "Sonnet 24 by William Shakespeare!!" It got most everyone's attention and the words started pouring out of me...with my arms throwing about and a deeper tone to my voice:

Mine eye hath play'd the painter and hath stell'd
Thy beauty's form in table of my heart;
My body is the frame wherein 'tis held,
And perspective it is the painter's art.
For through the painter must you see his skill,
To find where your true image pictured lies;
Which in my bosom's shop is hanging still,
That hath his windows glazed with thine eyes.
Now see what good turns eyes for eyes have done:
Mine eyes have drawn thy shape, and thine for me
Are windows to my breast, where-through the sun
Delights to peep, to gaze therein on thee;
Yet eyes this cunning want to grace their art;
They draw but what they see, know not the heart.

I know...I know...a wee bit mad, right? I'll never forget that moment. I bowed to the enthusiastic claps, high fives and whispers and I believe I said something along the lines of "Happy Birthday Me!" while stepping off the stage ; ) It made my friends day. In a way, it made my life. Liquid courage, I suppose.

I would love to hear about one of your brave moments...doing something you never thought you would or always wanted and did.