Role Playing

We all have our roles we play. Roles aren’t bad. Sometimes they are very appropriate and truly reflective of who we are. Sometimes it is a role we cast ourselves in; sometimes the role was given to us by others.  Nevertheless, there seems to be an expectation that we all play our roles all of the time and if we seem to stray for a while, there is some part of the universe that appears to be off-balance.  It is like some cosmic curve-ball that catches us off-guard.  I think the expectation to keep playing the roles comes more from ourselves than others in all actuality.  It is us who feel off-balance by the curve ball of life and perhaps we find security in playing the role we are known for – finding comfort that at least some part of our world is familiar and known and we can hide there. 

But it isn’t really comfortable playing a role when it doesn’t mesh with the plot of life you find yourself in. Its exhausting and lonely.  But you don’t want to let down the audience.  They paid good money to escape for a while from their own roles and be entertained. And it is safer to be on stage in costume playing a role than to be real and feel like you are standing in utter nakedness under a glaring spotlight on an otherwise dark stage.  And you’ve played this role so many times and know the lines by heart that you’ve almost forgotten how to be anything other than the role that you’ve been cast in. You and the role have merged over time and the lines are so blurred that you are no longer sure there is any distinguishing difference between the two.

Most times in life I’m all for playing the role.  I believe in the role.  I’m perfectly cast for the role.

And other times it takes every shred of acting ability I possess to play the role.

My "role" calls for me to wrap this up with some positive, optimistic slant that will encourage us all.  But tonight, if its okay with you, I think I’ll just turn off the lights, bring down the curtain and exit the stage.  I just need a brief intermission.  Then, I’ll return and we’ll be ready to pick up the story in the next act.