No role in life is insignificant; play your part

"The whole world is a stage, and we all have a part to play" is my favorite Shakespearean quote. I like it because I enjoy theater and because of an experience I had at a spirituality workshop.
Theater had its beginning with morality plays. An illiterate audience could watch actors portraying various responses to life situations and understand the consequences of an inappropriate action and the rewards of a positive response.
Today, dramatic productions can be experienced through film and TV, as well as the stage. Although a drama reflects aspects of society back to us, the language and behavior presented in modern plays may not always be used as a means to encourage moral behavior.
Although I enjoy good movies and TV programs, they don't seem as electrifying as stage performances. On one of my early visits to Broadway, I happened to get a seat in the first row for a play in which Paul Newman came to the edge of the stage in front of me and started to do pushups. I could see the beads of sweat drop from his face and feel his breath on my face. His blue eyes even seemed to look directly into mine. I don't remember the name or anything else about the play, but I will never forget the encounter.
Directing a show is a tremendous creative endeavor. My first experience as a director was presenting school plays at the American Theater, where diplomats assigned to Bonn, Germany, from around the world would be in the audience.
After retirement, I directed adults at a local community theater. It is so exciting to begin with a script and a bare stage and, then, orchestrate the collective efforts of the cast, set, costume and lighting crews to bring your interpretation to life. The creativity involved gives me a deeper appreciation for Genesis 1:31, "God saw all he had made, and indeed it was very good."
Workshop role-playing
The leader of a spirituality workshop that I once attended asked the participants to pretend that we were at an audition for a play called, "The World" and that God was the director. We were to assume that we had read the script and have selected the part we want to play. The time, place and conditions of our entry and all the challenges that we would face are known. We really want the part and demonstrate that we have the talent to do it well. God agrees, and we are chosen. The role we play is exactly the life we are living.
The task of the workshop was to reflect on our life to determine what talents we bring to the challenges we face. Instead of blaming others for our difficulties or using our time to pass judgment on the behavior of others, we were to determine where we should place our energy to make constructive adjustments in the pursuit of our goals. We also were asked to answer these questions: What do you see from your perspective of life and what are you learning from what you see? What are you contributing to "The World" that only you can contribute?
There are no insignificant roles in a play or in life. Our lives are intertwined like threads in a tapestry. "The whole world is a stage, and we all have a part to play."
Play it well.
Dr. Agnes Martinko is a member of St. Edward's Church, Youngstown.