Your World as a Stage

In this blog, it being the beginning of a potentially momentous new year, I want to introduce the idea of understanding that each one of us lives, and are actors in, our own, "little" world. Generally, when someone says about another that they are, "living in their own little world," it is not complimentary. It carries with it the idea that someone is so wrapped up in themselves, and perhaps fantasies, that they are unable to relate to anyone else.

If you really think about it, however, this is true of the majority of us to one degree or another. Few individuals have even a tiny bit of awareness of other peoples' worlds/lives--what they are like; the other individuals' day-to-day experiences, what they have to do to survive, etc., etc. Occasionally, (more-and-more recently) someone's, or a group of peoples' lives are brought to our attention, so that we momentarily gain some understanding, to a small degree, what their lives might be like during that time.

In a monologue from William Shakespeare's play, As You Like It, one of the characters states:

"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,...

The full quote can be read here: http://www.artofeurope.com/shakespeare/sha9.htm It is an interesting summary of an ordinary life of-the-time in England.

Few people, probably, even recognize that their personal World bears little, if any, resemblance to another person's World, and visa versa. Perhaps, as a way of shaping this coming year, it might be helpful to examine just what one's own personal World has been, and is like currently. Even thinking about the nature of one's own life is usually only done during times of personal crises. To make an effort to examine one's evolving World, is an exercise few people would even think about, much less attempt, in their lives. It might help to think about in terms of writing an autobiography about your life, how would you describe it in detail, starting with your earliest memories?

While the first half of the 20th century, was dominated by two World Wars, life for most people was pretty predictable, depending upon the circumstances/world they entered at birth. Those for whom life was unpredictable, along with the difficulties of their lives, were gifted with the need to live moment-to-moment, and day-to-day; to one degree or another, living in the NOW.

If one's life has been and is currently relatively predictable, as many peoples lives have been over the last half-century, it is easy to lose consciousness--fall asleep--for all practical purposes. The larger World we now live in has become increasingly unpredictable for many, resulting in large numbers of people waking-up to one degree or another.

Why is it important to examine the nature of one's personal World over time? It has been a result of the nature of one's personal World, from the time of birth and the life one has experienced thereafter, which has created one's Personal Belief System.

Aspects of one's personal World over time would include: birth country, culture, religion, social status/class, education, family, occupation, etc., etc. All these and more aspects of life, as indicated, are the building blocks of an individual's Personal Belief System. The more stable/normal one's personal life has been, the more firmly held will be the beliefs, (and non-beliefs) of the System.

And, why is this important? As I have been writing in this blog, it is important because, not only does one's personal World create ones Belief System, the Personal Belief System, in turn, shapes and maintains your personal World.

Just how thinking of one's World being a stage, can be used by oneself, I will probably write about in my next blog.

Shirley Gallup