Gala Girl?

It seems, dear friends, that life takes such unexpected turns. This past weekend I was on Facebook, and I was a little bit tired. Life has been a whirlwind of activity with my new writing project, and I was feeling a little bit sorry for myself. I was bemoaning that state of affairs, and commented that after this season of endless galas that I didn't want to hear the word "gala" for some time. I got a response almost immediately from a dear friend. Her reply? "Cry me a river, gala girl".

That response stopped me cold, for two reasons. One, she was clearly right. Bemoaning attending these glamourous affairs seemed rather ungrateful. Two, the words "gala girl" - because I have never, ever thought of those words in relation to me.

Prior to this year I've never attended a gala of any sort. Oh, I've been to parties, some quite elegant (like New Year's Eve in an Irish castle) and some quite raucous (and sometimes elegant ones descending into raucous, again much like New Year's Eve in an Irish castle). But I'd never been to a real gala, never entered that world, and thus it's all been new to me.

I suppose I could have gone to galas before, as they have always been there to attend in my city. I just never really had a reason before. This new project, though, has been an ideal excuse. I have attended some events as a paid guest, some as a guest of others, and some as media (and found different perspectives each time). I have more galas coming up, too, and other special events requiring me to dress up and do hair and make-up - but I'm not complaining. My other life still goes on, too, the life of laundry and dishes and mediating arguments between my girls. The galas, sometimes with my husband, sometimes with a friend, and sometimes on my own, are just a value-added bonus to my life.

I don't think I'll adopt the nickname "gala girl". I think I am the same woman I always was, just one who had to buy some new dresses and learn how to read seating charts. I'm not really a "gala girl" - some days I feel more like Cinderella as I go from scrubbing toilets to swilling martinis with friends. I think, though, that I will savour every moment of these galas as this is all still so new to me, and I am so very lucky - and it has been worth every second of exhaustion, too.

Gala Girl ?