The Reason The Spotlight Shines (The Friday Ficks S6 E15)

In 8th grade, when many of my classmates were auditioning for roles in The Wizard of Oz, I made a different choice. I signed up for the lighting and technical crew.

No spotlight. No applause. No curtain call.

I didn’t want to be on stage - I wanted to be behind it. Flipping switches, managing cues, making sure everything worked the way it was supposed to. Quietly, invisibly, helping the show succeed.

Years later, I became a trial lawyer, which in all candor is just another form of acting. Standing in the courtroom, telling a story, reading the jury, delivering lines with precision and timing. The

very thing I once avoided became central to my career.

But here’s what never changed: the show is never about just the person on stage.

For every visible performance, there’s an invisible team making it possible. The people who prepare, organize, troubleshoot, anticipate, and steady the entire operation when things wobble.

They don’t get the applause - but without them, there is no show.

And this isn’t just about theater or courtrooms.

It’s about life.

It’s about the colleague who makes sure the meeting runs smoothly. The partner who holds things together at home. The friend who shows up quietly, consistently, without needing

recognition.

This week, take a moment to notice the “behind the scenes” people in your world.

Thank them. Acknowledge them. Celebrate them.

Because while they may not stand in the spotlight, they are often the reason the spotlight shines at all.

Own the day. Own the weekend.

Carl