Noel Manuel
We all have shortcomings. This blemish on our character varies in degree and nature from person to person. The faster we learn to associate ourselves with our shortcomings, the quicker we get to understand our character. We come to realize who and what we are and what is it that makes us successful or unsuccessful.
Knowing and understanding who we really are can make a big difference to our lives. Our vision of life is strengthened and energy directed towards what we want to achieve. In reality, we become more conscious and accountable about what we do and what we say.
But all this happens only when we learn to undress and not dress our weakness. This short story reflects just how important it is to undress our weakness.
Happily married for the last 12 years, Joe and Therese began to experience the cracks appear in their marriage. They had a four-year-old and knew the importance of keeping this alliance together. They tried everything to get their differences sorted out and finally decided to visit a marriage counselor.
After waiting through an appointment for almost a week, they were finally in the presence of the person, who they thought could offer them the missing link. The counselor lent a patient hearing to the woes of Joe and Therese and it could have lasted all day long had the discussion not been interrupted by a phone call.
While attending to the call, the counselor overheard Joe and Therese argue over the confessions shared with the counselor a while ago.
On returning from the call, the counselor, looking and Joe and Therese said, ‘whatever I am about to ask you to do would sound ridiculous. But you are going to promise me that you will do it.’ Surprised by the counselor’s advice Joe and Therese looked at each other and nodded their heads. The counselor said, ‘I want the two of you to undress in the presence of me.’ That wasn’t something Joe or his wife had waited one whole long week to hear. Disappointed with the behaviour of the marriage counselor, they expressed their vent of anger and decided to leave.
Cursing the marriage counselor, all throughout in the elevator that led to the ground floor, Joe and Therese couldn’t stop blaming each other for the visit. An aged lady, also in the elevator overheard their conversation and smiled. Before stepping off the elevator, she looked at both of them and said, ‘the marriage counselor has answered your problem. Go home and ‘undress your weakness.’
Perturbed by what the old lady said, Joe quickly placed his foot between the doors of the elevator and asked the old lady to explain herself.
She said, when the counselor had asked you to undress, he knew that was something nobody could have ever thought of doing. You nor I. It is a shameful act and we all know it. Similarly we are never willing to undress our weaknesses and shortcomings. We never accept the truth. We feel it is shameful act and this is not. We never admit that we are at fault. We find it difficult to say yes, it’s me who has done it. We are never quite ready to accept our mistakes. We are always dressing our weaknesses and shortcomings with excuses and more excuses. We want to prove our right even if it takes a little might. Your marriage will discover more bliss, when the two of you learn to undress your weakness. Be proud to know who you are by associating yourself with your weaknesses and undressing it every time you run into rough weather, the old lady said and turned to the corridor.
It has been almost 10 years now since Joe and Therese visited the marriage counselor. And though the arguments haven’t ceased, this time round it’s all about trying to outdo the other in saying, ‘I am at fault.’
There are some things in life that cause us embarrassment and prevent us from accepting the truth. It is this phenomenon that obstructs us from understanding and knowing who we really are. And unless we know who and what we are, how can we ever get to know who and what others are.
To understand and know others better, I feel that understanding and knowing yourself is pivotal.
At departmental stores, I’ve often come across people, who instead of running their fingers through the texture of the garments keep fidgeting with the price tags. Everyone looks for a good bargain and that too, if it comes along cheap.
Likewise, everyone in life encounters a number of characters. But among them you search for the tags that offer understanding and recognizing. You know that this is the character you have been looking for and it appeals to you.
Undressing your weakness is not an embarrassment. But, you and I know that it is the truth to knowing who and what we are. And wouldn’t it be wonderful to know and understand who and what we are. It is the most amazing and extraordinary thing that could ever happen to us. With Joe and Therese it just did.
noelmanuel@rediffmail.com
The writer is the Coordinator of the Northeast Region (Poetry Society of India) and Life Member of the Poetry Society of India. Journalist and Correspondent Eastern Panorama (News Magazine of the Northeast), Phonetics Teacher.
