The Circus Is In Town

This past Friday night I went with my family to a small traveling 1 ring circus.  As I watched my children enjoy the show I couldn't help but notice how the circus ran like a well oiled machine.  We talk often about "All hands on deck" but the circus was a perfect example of that philosophy.  It was first apparent after the tiger show when I saw how quickly and smoothly they were able to take the cage down and set up for the next attraction.  Not one person said a word and within 2 minutes everyone had completed their job and they were on to the next act.  Then the acrobats come out and as they twirled and spun through the air and my children gazed in amazement I realized the performer spinning above us was the same woman who I bought my ticket from not an hour earlier.  And so it continued; during intermission the worker taking and selling pictures of my son and I riding an elephant was the performer who stacked and climbed chairs earlier in the night, the flame breathing performer also dressed the lamas and dogs during their act which immediately followed his own act, and the acrobat who was swinging and spinning on his head was working at the pony rides after the show.  The whole night was a perfect example of teamwork, a united vision, everyone having a role, and trusting each other to complete their roles.  I couldn't help but make a connection to school and how we could learn so much from the circus.  There wasn't one job that went undone and everyone worked for the cause of putting on the best show possible for the audience.  I don't know if the show was perfect or the performers interactions backstage but they tried to make sure it was an amazing show.  They were successful!  My children sat for 2 and a half hours in pure amazement and my wife and I got to enjoy the show and even more importantly we were able to watch our children enjoy the show.