Play many parts

 All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts…’ – William Shakespeare (from ‘As You Like It’) 

 The Bard’s lines refer to changing roles played across the biggest script of all – LIFE – an account of the highs and lows, of talents and choices, of careers and goals. So often we are mesmerized by self-absorbed dreams and fears of what lies ahead that we are unable to see beyond the illusion.

 We watch the smoke and mirrors and special effects – floods, famines, wars, epidemics - that recur in our world, but we move on playing one track roles within a self-centred comfort zone. We do have the free will to choose at every moment how we will script and play out each scene.

 We determine if the script is going to be a tragedy or a comedy. Every different decision makes a different scenario play itself out. This feature gives us the illusion of chance, chaos, and even fear –components of any good script. After all, the script doesn’t make the actor, the actor makes the script.

 Our attitude toward the roles we play is everything. The best players demand challenging roles. The best performers play many parts that include not only scripting, directing and performing; but also supporting, responding, appreciating and cheering other roles. For the world to be better as larger stage, we must be better at playing many parts. 

 Every stage requires players with a large heart

They adapt and are adept at playing many parts! 

 - Pravin K Sabnis

 

Be Happy

At our home, the bathroom mirror doubles up as a writing board. Birthday wishes, ‘welcome back’ messages, ‘things to do’ are penned down using colour pens. It works very well as the wishes and important messages get seen at the right time – at the start of the day!

One morning, the mirror had a line written by my (then 12-year old) daughter: ‘Make today better than yesterday!’ When I complimented her for the lovely words, she told me that she had read them in a magazine. I asked her as to how could one make today better than yesterday. Her reply was simple yet significant, ‘by being happy!’

Surely, it is as uncomplicated! Life is less about how we make it and more about how we take it. Never mind the mishaps, never find the hurdles and never mind the regrets; it all boils downs to how we respond to the stimuli and the situation.

Nevertheless, an affirmative attitude cannot be a postscript reaction. We have start every day with a resolve to make it a better day. A better day is a matter of choice. We can choose a make a better day or we can choose to make it worse.

We can opt to be happy and proactive or we can opt to be unhappy and reactive or inactive. Of course, being happy does not mean being oblivious of or indifferent to the situation. Instead it is about taking every challenge and situation head on with a positive willingness that is reinforced with an attitude of tolerance and contentment.

If a resolve to be happy is chosen every day

Surely, today will be better than yesterday!

- Pravin K Sabnis

last Monday's Muse 13 March 2023

 NEIGHBOURLINESS

 

A Man Called Otto tells the story of Otto (played by Tom Hanks), a 63-year-old widower, wallowing in grief and scoffing at neighbours who don’t sort their garbage. He no longer sees purpose in his life following the death of his wife.

 

He insulates himself from the people and plots to die by suicide until his plans are interrupted when a lively young family moves in next door. Marisol challenges him to see life differently, leading to an unlikely friendship that turns his world around. 

 

A heart-warming story about love, loss, and life, it highlights the importance of community and a shared sense of belonging that forces Otto to continue living. It is a lesson in how to bring back neighbourliness into our lives.

 

In an interdependent world, our quest for independence reduces our circle to just immediate family. But there is the larger family that is our neighbourhood. When communities bond together, they are there for each other in good and bad times.

 

It is not in our hands to choose our neighbours. But it is our choice to connect with them. Neighbourliness is the approach of being friendly or helpful to your neighbours. It leads to a kinship that becomes just the support system that all of us need.  

 

To escape the predicament of the isolation stress

Choose the actions of responsive neighbourliness!

 

- Pravin K Sabnis

Colour me right

(on the eve of the festival of colours, Holi, here’s my poem written on 2 March 2018)

 

Colour me now

But colour me right

Not as a mix

Each clear in sight…

 

Clear in sight

Distinct and distinguished

Not as a smear

Where colour is extinguished…

 

Colours extinguished

Turn into an obscure shade

Diversity is felled

When unity is a cutting blade…

 

Blade cuts to divide

But unity tends to expedite loss

Assorted strands ripped

togetherness goes for a toss…

 

The dance of togetherness

Needs different types of moves

For it is only variety

That makes an interesting groove…

 

The groove of merger

For different parts, is a bane

Insistence on uniformity

Forces individualities to wane…

 

None should wane

Each should be in clear sight

Colour me now

But please colour me right!

 

- Pravin K Sabnis

 

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