Shakespeare can be well described as a
psychoanalyst who knew well that the persona accepted by every human being is a
mask. This makes each one an actor playing his part in the drama titled ‘life’.
It’s indeed an act, not a puppet show, emphasizing that the part is played by
the performer, who has the right to choose the way he plays it. A show where
there’s no director, producer or scriptwriter. A performance that is made at
free will…
There are several acts set out in life for
everyone; knowingly or unintentionally, each of us plays them. Some occurrences
are preordained. Like breathing and ageing. They are synonymous at every level.
Every breath is a reminder of being alive and concurrently a step taking you
towards the end of life because the part to be played does end. The question of
interest is how does one accept the façade of reality; is it any different from
a complete sham?
Impermanence
Usually when we know things have to end
(relationships for instance) we choose to opt out of them. We don’t want
pretense. We want longevity. We seek permanence. And then we get used to the
inertia and begin to stagnate. The body grows, the organs age; yet existence is
stalled. The chase for permanence is endless. The need to be size zero (versus
healthy) takes away the pleasure of food. The urge to earn more (versus
spending satisfying time with family) breaks marriages. The requisite to hoard
(for a better tomorrow versus having a good time today) takes away life from
years. Nothing will last anyways. Awareness of this fact certainly will make
life more lifelike.
Make it real
Often extremes of emotions arouse doubts
about reality. An extreme of pain, torture, sorrow makes you say out aloud:
this cannot be real. And you want it to be a dream and wake out of it. But you
don’t. At the same time, in moments of immense joy, one hopes for lastingness
of the reality. And it doesn’t. Such is life. But life can be beautiful if you
make the beauty real. Play your part rightly and life will seem right, and
become right. Perceptions arouse thought that generate emotions and influence
behavior. If you alter the perception, the illusion suddenly has meaning;
everything seems to be perfect amidst the flaws.
Play the part: Focus
Consciousness and cognizance of trying situations
prepares one to deal with them maturely. It’s hard to be instantaneous on stage
so it’s worthwhile to practice before the performance. If the focus is on the
goal, the path will find you.
Play the part: Accept
Life will never be as perfect as you want
it to be. You may not be as faultless as you expect yourself to be either. The
world has limitations. So do you. Mistakes are the best teachers if one is able
to learn from them. Acceptance allows the past to make peace with the present
and paves way for a brighter future.
Play the part: Change
We are only too comfortable in our skin. We
really don't want to adapt; we expect the world to frame itself around us;
while we continue to be the fixated rock of Gibraltar. Life becomes a pack of
instant food; easy solutions, quick fixes, laid-back attitudes. The inertia
makes the unmolded clay hard and disallows any movement form the static. And
then suddenly life passes you by and it seems like it’s too late. Adaptation is
the key to self-growth. Changing with altering environments is imperative.
Your star rating
You are worth every star you give yourself
for your performance. There is no panel of critics whose opinion counts; only
yours does. Give it your best shot. Everyone is playing their respective parts.
Give it your best shot, you don’t get second chances once the show is over…
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