The Roles we Play

The Role We Play

I first heard of the roles that we play, through William Shakespeare in ‘As You Like It’. Bard’s  famous lines, “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……”, spoke eloquent about the chronological seven stages of a man’s life. I remember being awed by this perspective.

The next time I heard of role-playing was when my husband gently cajoled me, ‘You have a role to play. Play it well.” Unlike Shakespeare, he was speaking of the role I had to play as an army wife. I was afraid. What if I goof up? What if people find out that I am an imposter, cleverly covering my naivety? However, I accepted to play my part with as much courage as I could summon.

Later, I learnt that we create our own reality. We choose our own parents, families, place of birth and life circumstances. In other words, we are the actor, director, script-writer, and producer of our play; all rolled into one. This concept created a paradigm-shift in my thought process; and brought in a great amount of self-responsibility.

Gradually, I began to experientially understand and respect all three perspectives that somehow complemented each other.

This morning a new realization dawned and I asked myself, “What if I were to write my own role in the now, how would I pen it?”

I sat down with a paper and began writing….. The answer brought in great insights.

What is the role that I am playing right now? I am playing the role of an army general’s wife, who is also a writer, a healer, a counselor and a trainer. She is very involved with her work, and also leads a hectic social life. Her children have flown the nest, and she is not too involved in their lives. She is very different from her husband in some areas but very alike in some others. They have a great chemistry, and yet are not completely honest (about their emotions) in their communications with each other.

Now, if I were to write this role as a playwright, what kind of a persona would I choose to portray through her? She would have to be above average in intelligence, high in empathy, intuitive, approachable, trustworthy, efficient, courageous, forthright, conscientious, firm and yet adaptable, house-proud and hospitable, with good communication skills, leadership qualities, social graces, and passion for her work.

How would I want her to look? Average looks with confident demeanor, yet humble, with a distinctive style statement which is attractive in its simplicity, pleasing, graceful, physically fit, healthy, conscious of her food choices, and not given to excesses.

What is missing in the role that I am assaying as of now? Some amount of courage, honesty, empathy, adaptability, leadership qualities, social graces, fitness levels……These are the areas I need to pay extra attention to.

I am doing a pretty good job with my role………I am pleased with myself.