No one living knows in what sort of life our souls hover prior to birth. We only belatedly discover that, when the bright lights go on, it’s show time.
We come into this world with no idea how to deal with it, or what our part in it is to be. Because the experience is absolutely new, and because we inhabit these animal bodies that constantly grow and change, there is much to learn; and perhaps the most daunting assignment is the comprehension of time itself.
As we take the first steps into existence, we are directed by those souls who care for us, and those around us. The scripts we are given are incomprehensible. Many of the people in whose charge we have been placed have some experience, but little wisdom. And most challenging of all is that we are allotted a finite amount of time in which to accomplish the mastery of our role in life.
In the perceptions of our youth, this rehearsal seems interminable, the lights too bright, the stage too hot. Many of the other actors among whom we find ourselves are less than cooperative; we learn the strange sensations of pain and fear, and the delight of pleasure and joy. We are frustrated by the fact that this rehearsal is part of the play of life itself, and that even our attempts to prepare ourselves for it are on display; we are forced to learn its complexities while performing, and realize that the rehearsal, and even the intermission are important parts of the play as well.
In Act II we discover human love. It is so utterly mesmerizing that we often forget our lines. We are introduced to the most exalted feeling ever experienced, while at the same time playing the fool. We open ourselves to other actors without inhibition, only to find ourselves in the bleakest state imaginable. This is where we fall back upon the ultimate values we have learned from the beginning, and use them to propel ourselves forward, for the show must go on.
But the ultimate love scene we all must play is not with another actor, but with the Director, God Itself. God has cast us each in our unique roles, and has given us everything needed to live a full and good life; it is up to the individual actor to play that part to the utmost. This requires that we stay acutely aware of the Beloved in every moment of our lives, acknowledging that Presence in every situation and every person, and expressing our heartfelt gratitude for the gift of life.
Life’s a play, but without a script. The Director wants us only to give our best, push our boundaries, enjoy the performance and be decent with each other. The next play, in the next world awaits us all. When the final curtain falls, and you take your last bows, what will the reviews say?
--by Rick Dale
Rick is an accomplished singer/songwriter who is currently appearing in the musical play, "Route 66" at the Cabrillo Playhouse in San Clemente, CA. He is also a very involved and highly regarded member of the Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley.
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