It’s been awhile since I left the stage, but I can’t seem to escape the show. On every channel I am inundated by the facade of phony characters. They are stark reminders of the world I tried to leave behind…a world of smoke and mirrors.
Watching these hopeful leaders seemingly ignorantly succumb to the lure of greed is like watching a poor gambler chase that ever elusive winning hand…“Yet every gambler should know that to lose is what you’re really there for.”
The people at the top of our society (business leaders, politicians, etc.) act as magicians forming an exclusive fraternity – an inner circle consumed by greed. Within their circle they whisper among themselves as they plot out a series of tricks to dazzle the audience, who is desperate for a good show. Yet the audience doesn’t understand the show isn’t about them nor their entertainment….it’s about the magicians.
They needed their ticket. The sold them on the show and people walked through the doors in droves without thought. But they’re merely a number. Pons in a cowardly game of chess. They came because they were told. They were in need of hope, but left in awe. The magicians grinned as the audience applauded; realizing their own dreams while the audience fell deeper into their own fantasy.
The magic show is an old ploy that has been occurring since the beginning of humankind. Today’s magicians are no more clever or cunning, simply equally obsessed with the fantasy of power and control.
Yet it’s important to remember this:
Nearly every human has the power to create and take life.
No one has the power to decide when or how or by whom their life begins nor what events will unfold in their lifetime.
We only have “control” over our reactions to life’s events (more on this topic in a future blog).
Certain people react to others by giving them more power over their lives beyond these universal truths. They trade in their freedom for the hopes of getting something in return. Often it can be traced back to some form of security (money, job, comfort, etc.) – a biological need for survival. However, only when the person involved in your trade has their interest aligned with yours do you both have the opportunity to benefit; I’m finding this less and less common as more and more magician’s head for the theater destined to fulfill their dream on the backs of others.
So I’m choosing to never get back on that stage to be subjected to a magician’s lies and manipulation. I’m not interested in creating another person’s dream. I pray for the courage to create a new world for myself and hopefully many others.
I would like to be a part of creating something that radiates truth like the sun’s warmth. A place where confusion, manipulation and greed are swept away like the blinding fog by the powerful winds. A world where the indisputable self-centeredness of humankind is applied not towards one’s own greed, but towards the inspiration of people to seek the truth – to find light in this world of darkness.
I have found this light in nature where people go to visit things that are beyond them. A world where greed can only hurt your chances of survival. A world where true power is understood with reverence. A world where self reflection is undeniable. A world where smoke rises from the passion that burns within one’s soul. This….This is my world of smoke and mirrors.
