Drama, or acting, exists only between action and curtain fall. Or rather, until a curtain falls. After that, the actors return to real life. Acting becomes an art only when one can transition back into real life. But if one is forced to live as a character for a lifetime, it ceases to be mere acting and becomes drama.
Just as in front of a camera, some people act throughout their lives. But no one can live as if they are acting. Nor can anyone act as if they are living. Acting is always about becoming someone else, transforming into another person. That is precisely why it lacks reality.
In everyday life, acting means concealing one’s true self. I act because I fear that my real self may not be liked by you. I already know that the real me will not be acceptable to you. So I act in a way that pleases you. To hold on to your love, to fit into a role that suits you, I wear disguises that don’t truly belong to me. And in doing so, I deceive myself. I must bear the shame and self-contempt of having borrowed another’s role. Yet, instead of breaking free, I continue to act.
To live without acting requires extraordinary courage. ‘This is me. This is how I am.’ Those who stand firm in such declarations may find that many people walk away. But if even one person chooses to stay, that person truly loves you.
Only their love is real. That person loves you for who you truly are. And for that very reason, such love is priceless.
The relationships and achievements that come from living without pretense are the greatest treasures you can earn in life. Live without acting. You may not be able to please everyone, but that’s fine-you will at least live without self-loathing. And isn’t that the key to inner peace?
