To play my part

All my life is an act,

No wonder I’m so good at it.

But I found a friend who taught me about roles,

And he helped me to see that my life is not a charade, but a magnificent performance.

Through the discipline of fulfilling my roles – and there are so many of them, and many are so difficult, and sometimes they come at me thick and fast, and others thrust them on me before I’ve even has a chance to say, “Yes”, and some of them, some of them, I’ve been playing all my life – and, where was I? Through the discipline of fulfilling my roles, I have become myself; I have acquired channels to pour out my creativity into the world; I have achieved far more than I would ever have imagined.

This friend, he has taught me so much.

In the world, so many strive for autonomy, but he speaks about surrendering yourself.

People demand, “I must be free to be myself”, but he says, “Come and serve me”.

With clenched fists they shout, “Me, me me”, but he taught me to whisper, “Not me, but me in him”.

Only in this release did I find freedom.

And so, I stride the stage with a confidence I do not have,

I stoop to bind up the wounded – though I don’t really care that much,

I leap with joy, though I am far too shy to do that.

Remember, it is all an act really,

And I’m getting pretty good at it,

So much so, that every now and then people say,

“You know, you’re really getting to be like your friend”.

And the best thing about this?

I don’t feel small to be compared to him;

I feel deep-down glad.