merely players

Today’s been reflective. The kind that actually takes you through it all, without missing a single beat.

The setbacks and the wins, the hardships and the walk in the parks, the look of disdain to the encouraging ones, the snappy retorts to the accolades.. it’s been a packed day to say the least. In my head I mean.

Through all of these, came the people associated with each. The ones who were behind each of these emotions and actions, the pivots, the castigators and the supports I couldn’t have done without.

Hung from a place above, detached and aloof, seeing me in each scene as one would watch reruns of bygone TV shows. Sometimes amused at the humor now wasted on our all knowing minds, and sometimes teary-eyed with the characters, coz no matter the knowledge that we bear, there’s this gush of hormones flowing like the broken oil leak in the Gulf.

Heavy, dark and clingy, covering everything with its soiled preciousness. Much like Midas’ touch.

..and just like that these words popped up.

“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”

–As you like it

It is true innit?

I think of these versatile lines and I wonder at the sheer poetry that they recite in each of our every day lives.

Characters. Emotions. Plot. Interludes. Dialogs. Grand Finale.

Of course am spinning off of Aristotle’s six elements of a drama,  (he apparently thought Tragedy was the highest form of drama ever, and anyone who’s suffered through half a bollywood movie in the 80’s will attest to that without a question) but when you really think about it we can very well break our individual lives that accommodates almost every one of these elements.

Today I see packed scenes. Scenes that have made me cringe in embarrassment, smile with pride, laugh at the ridiculousness and sneer at the external machinations that propelled my actions, and for the most part my reactions. I believe that given a handful of things, it is pretty much the common things that happen to most of us. It’s the way we react (so unique and so different and so personal) that charts each of our individual courses.

However, through the maze of emotions I squint and tear myself through, I do not see regret. An occasional sigh perhaps. Maybe even a segue into a dream that remained such, but never regret.

It’s interesting. Even to me.

Just when one stands at the brink of an exit from one scene, and feel like that was the most rotten performance one has ever given, coz well, no one’s clapping (and not for any lack of capability I might add), along comes a character from the sidelines; one who has never played a major role, and will not be from the looks of it, and re-emphasizes your belief in the role you play: it does indeed seem like a validation.

One that is never really craved or wanted or even expected, but when handed, hits the spot.

I move on to the fall back role I’ve played for the most part of my adult life, as I always imagined. This time around however, there is much pleasure. Even content. Coz you see, age and knowledge are mighty effective teachers. Grand or not, it’s my drama and I play a main part. Even in the finale.

At the end of the day, we are all merely players.

*cut*