Greece is one of the few places on earth that can boast a history of over 5,000 years. It was the spiritual center of the then known world and during this time, philosophical and political exploration, literature, fine arts, and sciences evolved, that later affected the course of the Western civilization. The “Greek Legacy” is one of the most sophisticated intellectually, spiritually and includes some of the greatest thinkers of ancient times. The Hellenic culture has been contributing to so many others and to this day we see many of their practices still with us. Greeks live a life full of love, faith, dance, loyalty and of course delicious food. I’m so blessed to be a part of this vibrant culture and be able to share my traditions with others. I can proudly say that I represent my Greek ancestors with high spirits. During my childhood, I was surrounded by a flourishing Greek community and this significantly shaped how I pursue this crazy journey called “life”. I follow many of the Greek values and traditions my grandparents practiced; one in particular that means the most to me is to share stories about beauty in the world.
The story I want to share today is about my grandfather, Papou (παππούς in Greek), Dr. Constantine Michael Glafkides, and his tremendous influence not just on my life but so many other lives too. My Papou, a San Francisco native, attended Lowell High School and helped the football team win the AAA championship in 1941. His studies in Physiology at UC Berkeley were cut short when he entered the Navy during World War II, serving as a lieutenant on a troop transport ship in the South Pacific. After serving in the Navy, he married my grandmother, Yiayia (Yιαγιά in Greek), Mary Maneatis, and returned to UC Berkeley, earning his Bachelor’s Degree and Doctorate in Physiology. In 1952, he entered medical school at UCSF, and two years later he became a father as my Yiayia gave birth to their first born, my mother, Aspasia Glafkides. He overcame tremendous obstacles while being a new father, devout member of the Greek Orthodox Church, and finishing his education. After completing his medical degree, he and five other doctors formed a private practice that later developed into the Bay Pacific Health Plan, one of the first health maintenance organizations of its kind in the Bay Area. He also founded a full-service outpatient clinic and health center in San Bruno and during 1976-77, he served as the president of the San Mateo County Medical Society. During my Papou’s career, he enjoyed reaching out to his patients, treating and healing not just their bodies but their souls too.
The values, dedications and aspirations which my Papou honored were those from his Greek heritage. A piece of advice that I distinctly remember my Papou saying to me was, “Don’t sweat the small stuff. Fight for your dreams and never let anyone take your happiness away; you create your own happiness”. I watched my grandfather live by contributing so much of his time and energy to help others; he was a true healer and always brought out a great laugh. My strong connection with Greek culture and my Papou motivated me to pursue the same visions to help and free others, but through entertainment.
My passions for entertainment began after my first dance recital at the age of six. I thrived on the freedom and thrill performances offered me; consequently, I wanted to experience and learn everything about performing. After grabbing the female lead role in four of my High School productions, I became aware of my talents and gained some confidence. With the feedback I had received from audience members after performances, I became aware that art is powerfully engaging, uplifting and beautiful. As a growing artist, I saw myself as an influential role model.
My commitment and dedication to pursue new art forms evidently showed during High School. I clearly chose to make my acting, singing and dancing a priority when a conflict arose between a musical production and a sports team. I grew up as an athlete in addition to my dance and passion for theatre. I played soccer, basketball, volleyball, tennis and ran track. I literally lived “The High School Musical”, except I didn’t have a six pack (aka Zac Efron) and my school did not let you dance on tables whenever you felt like busting out into song. I handled what could have been an unpleasant situation with clarity and class, and was able to gracefully balance my two passions, Sports and Entertainment. I made the choice to develop and focus solely on my performance skills for the following show/season to alleviate some of the stress and drama from the last experiment. After several years of being one of my High School’s leading varsity athletes, this was undoubtedly a tough decision for me, but it truly demonstrated my determination to be an artist.
If I never heard and experienced the stories about my Papou’s endless love, faith and perseverance, I’m not sure I would have had the courage to fight for my passions even though they were considered as two “separate” worlds. Either way, I’m incredibly blessed to have had so much light and laughter constantly beaming from my Papou. He was probably one of the most incredibly generous, brilliant, goofy, and humble healers I had ever known. I was always told growing up, mainly from my Yiayia and Papou, that I’d be a great Doctor or Pediatrician. If I didn’t have a true passion for creative arts, I definitely would have pursued medicine especially with children. But I truly believe my stars are aligned on a more creative path and I’m proud to say that I am an artist. I’ve been enjoying each moment of this unpredictable roller coaster ride called “Hollywood”! Hop on and buckle up with me, because this will be a beautiful ride!
I’d love to end this story today with some inspiring words that one of the most gifted actresses I have studied, Eleonora Duse, known for her potent magic in the Theatre, said about art; “…a great force capable of spreading beauty and understanding, whose function it was to quicken in the minds and hearts of the people an appreciation of the nobility of suffering, to awaken in them a sense of the sublime; to rouse them from their torpor and through a heightening of the motions make them aware of the mystery and wonder of the human spirit” (The Mystic in the Theatre, Ella Le Gallienne).
Amazon.com: The Mystic in the Theatre
Mary Rachel Gardner
Mary Rachel Gardner 