# 19 - Going Up or Going Down

I was about to take my seat at a funeral when someone called out to me, "Hey, Sharon, you're losing yourself."

I immediately checked to see that my hat was in place, that my zipper was closed and that my blouse was buttoned.

Then I turned to her quizzically. She said, "You. You look good."

I smiled.

OMGosh, she made me smile at a funeral. Oy. But it was a great funeral. Everyone was saying terrific things about the grandmother who had passed away, and everyone, including me, was alternating between smiling and crying. So, it was okay.

Then last night I went to a bar mitzvah and a few people said, "Sharon, you look good." I told them, "The Efrat Women's Health Center!!!" I felt like an advertisement.

Now the truth of the matter is that I weigh 13 pounds more than I did when I first went on stage in JOSEPH and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat ten years ago with the Efrat/Gush Etzion Raise Your Spirits Summer Stock Company, which I was honored to have founded.

I weighed three pounds more than I did this year when I went on stage with The Promised Land, the latest production of DAMES of the DANCE, which I founded four and a half years ago.

Now You Tell Me

But lately everyone's been saying, "You look good."

So, first of all. Thanks, everybody. You may think I look good, but you're making me feel good. (Even my husband said, "You look very good, dear.")

It's just funny. Ten years ago no one said, "You look good." I was a zaftig Pharoah on stage in JOSEPH.

Four years ago no one said, "You look good." I was a round and bouncy tap dancer when I first danced Two O'Clock Jump in DAMES. (That's me in the back.)

But this week, I look good. That's because I've been about ten pounds heavier on life's escalator. And folks are used to seeing me that way.

If they'd known me when I was thin and athletic, then as I went up the body escalator, they'd have said, "Yuch," at this point. (Or hopefully, they wouldn't because most people want to be polite.)

But since they see me going down the body escalator, they think I look good, B"H.

So, I guess it does make a difference which escalator you're on.

And I hope I can stay on this one.

Going down!!