The World is Your Stage!

The World is Your Stage!

It was there in front of us before and though many of us were using the social digital platforms, but more than ever now #covid has forced virtual internet interaction and communication so much that the world has literally become a stage for all.

You take children, young or elderly, everyone is venturing to share some part of themselves or their knowledge through some social media or the other. Many people are showcasing their talents while others are picking up skills virtually. The human race has stepped up and gone beyond their previous boundaries.

No erstwhile excuses of age or computer non-savviness or any such escape route is now not an option for anyone who wants to stay connected to the outer world. Come to the digital world if you want to remain relevant. Nature has instructed and human race has responded and responded extremely well.

Be it business continuity, interpersonal communication, banking transactions, shopping, even doctors are consulting patients virtually. Lawyers are consulting virtually, and virtual court proceedings are in process. We all have changed and all along we considered it a part of surviving the attack on our race. It seems to be more than that it is a definite shift in human functioning. 

Through it all people have had major benefits which sometimes go unnoticed. Circumstances have forced us into a corner, but we have responded by becoming even more resilient. There was a time not long back when only a few people had the opportunity to make presentations in faraway lands as they had limited access to global travel. But today millions are making presentations all over the world right from their homes. People are also attending global events virtually and benefitting with international perspectives and connections. I have made maximum number of international friends and associations in 2020 alone. This was all available to us and in front of us before, but we were not accepting the possibility as a good option. And then nature intervened.

Year 2020 had made us realise and accept our vulnerabilities. We don’t know if we will be the lucky ones to make it through this pandemic. But we have also been shaken to learn to live in the present. We are taking every day as special, every breath as sacred and that is why today we value our time on earth more than ever. As a result, people of every age bracket are striving to do their best every day. Children and adults alike are sharing their talents and skills, be it Public Speaking, Singing, acting, computer science knowledge, just about anything and everything is being put out there and shared for all to see. We have the urge to make a mark or at least leave a mark on earth. Moreover, it has now become acceptable to project one’s self and is encouraged as the same pain sweeps us all.

I have been similarly affected, I never thought I would be willing to share my poetry via podcasts or ever take my comic skills seriously and share with unknown people so happily and willingly. I never thought it would be acceptable to project the fun side of myself to my professional community but today it has become important for me to share every colour of my personality. What if tomorrow never comes? At least I did showcase every gift nature bestowed upon me, at least I learnt something new every day and gave something back too. In the very least, I did try!

And with the same thought I appreciate every talent/thought/ skill shared and encourage everyone to do the same and not think about what others might think because tomorrow it might just not matter anymore! Do it today, do it here after all the time is now and you have the world as your stage. You don’t have much choice either as on one side you get to spend your time learning new things and upgrading yourself and sharing the new ‘You’ with the world or on the other hand you can spend the time completely with your family day and night, day and night…day and night…day, afternoon, evening, night…day.…… Simple choice, No? (winks)

Shalini Paul.