Life’s a Stage… and I Forgot My Script

The last “live performance” I saw? If we don’t count my kids’ dance recitals where they wave more at me than at the audience, then it’s a hazy memory—years ago, a church band swaying to gospel tunes under flickering fairy lights. I remember wondering if the drummer’s excitement was divine or caffeine-driven.

But here’s a thought: aren’t we all unknowingly part of live performances every day? The grumpy grocer dramatically tossing vegetables, the auto driver delivering unsolicited philosophy, even your toddler giving an Oscar-worthy tantrum on aisle 5. One day, my son declared in his most theatrical voice, “I don’t want dosa. Dosa wants me!” I applauded. It was the climax of our kitchen saga.

George Bernard Shaw once said, “Life isn’t about finding yourself. It’s about creating yourself.” I say, life is about performing yourself—even if the stage is a living room strewn with Lego.

Not attending concerts doesn’t mean missing out. It might just mean you’re too busy directing a show called “The Adventures of Homework, Spilled Milk & Sudden Tears.” Add background music from your pressure cooker, and voilà—live orchestra!

So the next time someone asks, “Seen any live shows lately?” smile and say, “Yes, just yesterday—a wild performance featuring my child, a cat, and an upside-down pizza.”

Thought to ponder: What if the best performances in life aren’t those we buy tickets for, but the ones that unfold when no one’s really watching… except you?