They say the world is a stage. But, obviously the play is unrehearsed and everyone is ad-libbing their lines.
Break a leg, mumbled the director to his cast to wish them luck and the adrenaline kicked in. Suddenly the spotlight fell onto the dim stage. The commotion of the impatient audience reduced to muffled whispers as the orchestra struck its first notes and the show began!
The actors bustled on and off the stage, performing a plethora of roles as scenes and acts changed, neatly tucked in by the closing and unfurling of magnificent crimson curtains. Everyone felt it was a magnificent show. Actors were comfortable with their lines, didn’t flub them and the show went on smoothly without any glitches or hiccups.
In the back row of the auditorium sat a man, lost in his own thoughts. A maestro whose mind whirled with thoughts and a dozen ideas spun faster than a whirlwind, crashing against each other. Finally the last piece of jigsaw puzzle clicked into place and Will Shakespeare, play writer par excellence, came up with a quote from the cauldron of his mind: “All the world’s a stage.”
Being on stage is a scary thought for a few, but a thrilling adventure for many. But isn’t the stage only a setting for a grand plan in which you are just a pawn at the hands of an invisible mastermind? So are you anything more than just a puppet who isn’t given a chance to explore, imagine or express her true self? A puppet who knows exactly what will happen two minutes later from then where, when, how and why. A puppet having a familiarity with every stage in her life that will occur consequently.
Seems rather tedious and a bit too exaggerated, doesn’t it?
After all the world may be a stage and we the actors but that doesn’t guarantee that we all run according to a predefined script that we are all aware of, does it?
Real life is a roller coaster with ups, downs, bends, twists and events that could either tip you off, hang you upside down and leave you there, or spare your lives and let you narrowly escape. Who knows what will transpire ahead in life? Will the future knock you off your feet or lift your spirits higher than the sky? Will it drown you in worries or take you on an exhilarating journey of life?
Will you have someone to count on in times of need? Will you know how to respond to the challenges you will face? Will you shed tears of sorrow or utter joy? Will you face circumstances in which you will have to resort to desperate and maybe even dishonest means to escape? Will people try to mould your personality into something that fits in but leaves you lost in a crowd? Will people use you as a doormat that everyone can trample on? Or will you stand out uncomfortably like a giraffe in a midst of guinea pigs? What surprises and exhilarating experiences lay in store for you in the future? What golden opportunities will you appreciate and take advantage of?
Who knows? Anything can happen.
Impromptu. Impetuous. Spur of the moment. That’s LIFE. There is no certainty of what lies in store. We just have go along with the flow, learn and experience all sorts of disasters and wonders and make the most of life. Ad-libbing, adjusting, accommodating all the way.
However, all along we will get a chance to make a difference to the world, leave a mark.
So, get going! Soon enough life will end. The music will stop… the lights will be dimmed… the curtains will close… the drama will be over!