Sunday, August 2, 2009

S t o r y b o a r d


Comic books and movies need preliminary sketches and storyboards. The final cut is drawn out based on this blueprints. Similarly, each person has sketched out his or her life story. Even when one's narrative is an ever evolving one, this main story line is always there as a backdrop. Memories about childhood, younger period, friends, parents, major incidents and places; the narrative around these, reinstates this projection. This identification is one's identity. There is the urge to maintain the basic status quo.

The drama in the story is dormant most of the time but when activated it spices up the narrative. Thoughts, memories, emotions, words, decisions, and actions and all the karmas dance around this narrative. As one is locked into this story line, it is almost like a commitment. There is no way one can drop it. Certain patterns of thought processes and similar acquaintances evolve that suit the story one believes in and life as a story goes on.

When once in a while one steps out of this maze and rises above to get a bird's eye view of it, certain questions arise. Is this story real? Have our memories really the recorded sharply how everything exactly happened? Even if it is pretty close to the real, how real is the perception about it? Or isn't it just one version of it? After one had recorded these memories how-many times one had recalled and modified the narrative? When the latest version is recalled, how far fetched is it from what really happened?

As years go by, this story becomes deeply etched in our psyche and one feels empty without it. That emptiness is one trying not to face. Even the story can be a distraction we create not face this abyss. Is there a way to disassociate oneself from attaching fear to nothingness and be blissful about it? Can one start enjoying the freedom of the void?

What if one drops this story one fine morning and start on a blank slate? or carry no slate at all? no name, no identity, no drama and no story; is it possible?


No comments: