Playing Pretend

When I was a little girl I used to love playing ‘pretend’. My imagination would conjure up real life scenarios of which I would act out. This would be anything from being a wife, a mother, a schoolteacher; anything occupying my own land. Each component was totally under my power and control. I was my own scriptwriter, I wrote my own endings. As age outstretched me, I grew up and lost interest in playing my childhood ‘pretend’ games.

The definition for the word pretend is to make believe, to appear falsely or as to deceive. It is not real, it may feel and appear real but in reality there is no definitive line. The edges are blurred and what you think you see is nothing but a warped perception of a very real reality.

My question to us today is,

Do you play pretend in your life?

Life has taught me that children are not the only ones with imaginary friends but adults have them too. Adults can get caught up in the game. This can be in not wanting to face certain people or situations in our lives, burying deep emotions built up from circumstances we have or may still be going through, or acting as if everything is ok when really it is not. A case of not acknowledging the truth or wanting to accept a truth in our lives.

When I used to play pretend I got to a point where I had to remember that what I was playing was not actually real. There would be times where I got so caught up in a game that when I stepped out of it I felt weird, like a different person. So what am I saying? I am not saying that children cannot use their imaginations to play pretend, but what I am saying is that adults cannot play pretend in life and think that their pretense is real.

My mom would always call me for dinner or I would get bored of playing pretend. Life has a way of waking us up from our sleep. There has to be an acknowledgment of truth in our lives in order for us to stop playing. It becomes dangerous if we continue to accept its invitation to play after a certain age.

Yes there are times when we do not want to face the world or anything in it. Days we just want to hide and shut away. However you cannot let a time or season like this turn into an eternity. Facing your own pretense is a good thing as it causes you to see what is real and allows you to move on.

We all need to move on and learn how to handle situations we encounter. Letting go of what was and moving towards what can be. Being held in your past or present is no good thing, being set free from your past and making the right decisions in your present can make way for a better future.

Wise counsel, guidance, advice and true genuine relationships are needed but we must accept truth. Without truth we can live in a world of make believe, deceiving ourselves to the reality of our lives and who we are.

Sometimes Only Beauty Can Talk To Your Beast

Disney characters are not my usual choice of subject matter but I must admit that my mind has presently become enchanted by the story of ‘Beauty and the Beast‘.

A witch places a curse upon a handsome Prince turning him into a beast because of the horror of his character. An old man is held captive by the beast due to an accident and his daughter Belle goes on a rescue mission to get her father back but falls into a much bigger adventure; falling in love and releasing the Beast from his curse.

This tale has a happy ending but life does not always grant us such a wish. Although this story is make-believe, it also mirrors human reality.  We are allured into a display of unconditional love. The fierce awakened heart of Belle vs the dead heart of the Beast.

Belle’s beauty not only entices the natural eye but is also within. Beauty is defined in the dictionary as;

The quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations (as shape, colour, sound, etc.), a meaningful design or pattern, or something else (as a personality in which high spiritual qualities are manifest).

It is a personality and character trait, not just an external mark. Belle’s internal beauty not only accepts but unrestrictedly loves. The bravery of her heart pours out love and life to the Beast who is cold and uninviting in nature.

What I love about both characters other than their vast differences is their need for each other. Life must meet with death.

Life can cause us to become like the Beast; ugly. Part of our nature, our character turns wild in order to cope with how we have handled life. We can become cold on the inside whilst operating as normal in society. Externally we have it all going on but internally we are or have died.

We can bring the term ‘living dead’ to life, physically alive but internally sleeping.  The Beast was as fine as can be. He operated in all his powers and duties as Prince but a part of him was quite dead on the inside.

The thought came to me recently that we all need beauty in our lives. Pure and true love brings forth a deeper beauty that outshines its external counterpart. The kind of love that melts hearts and is not destructive or lustful. Belle’s warm heart and loving nature freed an enslaved Prince from his cruel and selfish nature. We all need a nature in life that causes us to become better.

This can be seen in the relationship of Phoebe and Cole in the TV series Charmed. Cole is a half human/ half demon (Belthazor) sent to kill Phoebe and her sisters who are witches. Cole falls in love with Phoebe and it is this love that not only saves Phoebe and her sisters but also Cole. The beauty of love from Phoebe takes over and helps the beast inside Cole.

 

Again this happens  in the film Dracula: Untold. In order to protect his kingdom Prince Vlad becomes a monster (vampire). When the beast inside of him becomes stronger it is his wife who calms the beast through love by reminding him of who he really is.

These examples show beauty and love through the vessel of a woman but I want us to look beyond gender and see that the real beauty is expressed through their internal nature. This beauty within them and a ‘knowing’ of who they are paves way for unconditional love, continuous persistence and strength to accept those they love. Out of this strength a hope and grace is released which empowers them to walk alongside a beast nature until the original nature comes back.

Sometimes it is hard to talk to a beast but love can break through. On our good and bad days we can all become like the Hulk. Kind words, encouragement, wise counsel and advice; anything that awakens us inside is important. Not a quick fix pill but a character and nature that transforms us into who we really are.

The beast transformed back into the Prince but had changed his nature. Cole eventually lost Phoebe due to his dark side and lived in regret, never losing or forgetting his love for her. A battle caused Prince Vlad to lose his wife and he became a monster for eternity.

We always have a choice in the matter of who we become. We cannot control life circumstances or guarantee our endings but we can choose who we are. We must allow beauty to transform us when presented with it in its true form, accept true love. Finding this is a process but your journey with true beauty and love must begin.