Idina Menzel - "At This Table"

I had the unbelievable pleasure of seeing Idina Menzel in concert at Carnegie Hall this week for the holidays. Unbelievable! I’ve lived in New York for over thirty years now and I’ve never been to Carnegie Hall. What an experience!

If you don’t know Idina, then may I remind you that she is of Wicked and Frozen fame.

My favorite moment in the concert is when she described how she started to record her holiday album. The entire process started with a friend who was writing a song about people of diverse backgrounds and identities gathering around a dinner table. Idina immediately imagined a holiday dinner table and therein sparked her holiday album.

After her little story about the song, Idina broke into “At This Table.”

“Come as you are.”

Yes, it’s a song about people coming together, gathering to share a dinner, a conversation, a moment. But it’s more importantly about diversity, acceptance, and inclusion. Buzzwords, perhaps, but so amazing nonetheless.

For me, it is all about that but it’s really about individuality. Being who we are. Being who we are with each other as we each thrive as our true selves.

For me, it’s about holiday memories through the years as we gathered with our kids, our family members, and our friends (all very diverse BTW) to celebrate together.

For me, it’s also about any table. A dining room table. A conference room table. A coffee table. And even the table I use in my office to have meetings with my team. Oh yes,

We are all individuals seeking to live a happy life. When we do that all together, “at this table” or anywhere else, then we are likely to all be more successful at it.

Thank you Idina.

Happy Holidays at your own table. What’s your experience? JIM

PS - Here is one of Idina’s biggest songs, if not the biggest…”Let It Go”