Is it a drama feeling from life?

 Life is like a drama

Our impermanence often tugs at our hearts and emotions—at one moment lifting us to the heights of joy as if we had reached the peak of a mountain, and shortly after casting us into grief and sorrow as if we had lost everything dear. But if we could step outside ourselves and observe these emotional fluctuations from a distance, might it not feel like a detached onlooker watching the drama of a frantic actor on stage?

Take for example: one day you suffer a company layoff and a family misfortune; the very next day you win the lottery jackpot; and soon after, a devastating flood strikes your place of residence, disrupting all order of life. The heart can hardly keep up with such rapid changes. If we allowed ourselves to be wholly driven by these ups and downs, it would feel as if we had lived and died countless times over.

Reflecting on these phenomena reminds me of the wisdom of those who have pondered life deeply. Wang Yangming once said, "t is easy to defeat the enemy in the mountains, but hard to conquer the enemy within the heart." Indeed, when we find ourselves entangled in the dust and turmoil of worldly life, it may be wise to step back and look at ourselves from another angle. And if we can cultivate an unmoved heart—calm and steady—in the face of all worldly changes, then we will not be swept away by the flood of impermanence, not even knowing where we have drifted.

When we step back and see life this way, the saying "Life is like a play, and play is like life" naturally echoes in our ears. I recall an actor once said: "One of the essential qualities of an actor is to be both fully invested in emotions, yet still retain a degree of rationality—that is what makes a good actor." In that sense, life itself feels very much like acting. Perhaps that is why actors must draw upon the richness of lived experience in order to truly bring their roles to life.

No matter how turbulent and dramatic life becomes, we must remember to step back and view our lives with objectivity. This is how we give our emotions a chance to breathe, how we treat ourselves with kindness, and how we allow scattered energy to return home. Beyond the frenzied stage of life's drama, there should always remain a space of calm and serenity.

And we must also remember: our emotions not only need to cool down, they need to be carefully placed, gently tended to, patiently accompanied. To treat them with such tenderness is, in itself, an act of self-love.

#self awareness #self love