Imitation of Life

Since a committed actor must always be willing to go wherever his character leads him, not recognizing his own reflection in the mirror is hardly the first sign of having undergone significant change. What a pity that a journey blindly taken to the darkest of destinations may never again be retraced back to its naive departure.This is true of any dramatic transformation where the greatest risk of becoming someone else is entirely losing sight of the fine person you were once before.

Long after the dramatic performance is over, the tragedy of becoming imprisoned within the character can never be overstated. It has often been known to destroy family life, compromise romantic relationships, undermine professional careers, and unleash overwhelming violence. While some might command an accomplished actor on how to play a highly prized role, the most gifted thespians would surely regret any authoritarian direction in this respect. If bearing the full burden of his performance, the freedom to fight at will would only be the most reasonable of demands made before fatefully going to war.  

In a world of endless drama, incessant intrigue and even some occasional comedy, where so many of us are constantly called upon to act, earning the individual freedom to play our leading parts has often proven to be a truly cathartic experience. It goes without saying that this freedom must always be exercised with the requisite measure of accompanying responsibility. Only by commitedly playing our parts with our whole physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual beings can we successfully rise to the dramatic and comedic challenges ahead. 

This was never a verity to be taken lightly. Since the only real truth ever to be found in acting solely resides within ourselves, the original asking price for those offering to sell their souls rarely exceeds the true value commanded in eternity. Despite all the significant hardship indomitably experienced throughout the years, remaining forever true to what we sincerely love the most in life was the main reason to have rejected all the financially rewarding opportunities insistently offered. But just as dreams have been known to come true, so have nightmares often in disguise.

Never would some of us embark on a dark journey where a seemingly hopeful departure would lead us only to the most accursed of infernal destinations. After the unforgiving passage of the years, solely being able to defend what we love most in life is how some of us have come to define the true meaning of success. Since personal acclaim has long remained the leading cause of death in some professions, much can still be said about the humble embrace of a quiet life. Just as masterful art so often imitates the beauty of life, the living have also drawn great inspiration from its splendor. Perhaps a great artistic performance is always an original imitation of life.