HAPPINESS FACADE

HAPPINESS FACADE

An apocryphal story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

A certain man made an appointment to see a renowned psychological counsellor.

He duly arrived at the psychotherapist’s clinic and said to him, “Sir, please help me. I always feel depressed. No matter what I do, I always feel depressed and dejected. I just do not know what to do.”

The counsellor looked at the depressed man and said to him, “Come with me to the window.”

The patient followed the therapist to the window. 

The counsellor pointed outside and said, “Do you see that huge tent over there in the distance?”

“Yes, I can see that tent,” the depressed man answered.

“Well, that is a circus tent. 

In that tent there is a circus and it is really good. 

There are lots of acts to watch, especially the clown acts. 

And there is one clown in particular who is extremely funny. 

He wears all sorts of costumes and masks and performs hilarious antics. 

His masquerade acts are really fantastic. 

He will make you rock with side-splitting laughter over and over again. 

Go to the circus and see that cheerful clown perform and I guarantee you that your depression will disappear,” the psychotherapist advised the depressed man.

The depressed man turned to the counsellor and he looked at the counsellor with sadness in his eyes.

“What’s wrong?” the counsellor asked the depressed man.

The depressed man said: “Sir, I am that same circus Clown...!”

MORAL OF THE STORY

What does the story of THE “HAPPY” CLOWN tell us?

While judging  human beings one must not rely on external appearance alone. 

On the surface a person may look cheerful, calm and composed but deep inside he may be suffering from inner turmoil. 

Many persons who outwardly always joke and laugh may actually be quite unhappy and depressed deep inside.

Outward cheerfulness may be a way to mask inner unhappiness.

Like the clown in the story, a person makes others happy is sometimes sad himself. 

Maybe your effort at making others happy creates stress and depression within you.

So, why wear a “mask”?

Why hide your true emotions under a mask, especially the mask of happiness.

Why not be genuine in displaying your true emotions?

Why not laugh when you want to laugh and cry when you want to cry? 

Why hide your inner emotions?

Why suppress your true feelings?

Why put on an act for the outside world?

Why put on a fake smile when you are angry or unhappy?

Why fake it?

Why try to “manage” your image? 

Does all this not cause enormous stress within you? 

Won’t the constant masquerade of Image Management adversely affect your health in the long run?

Should you not beware of the dangers of “Image Management”?

Do you want to be like the “Happy” Clown?

VIKRAM KARVE

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Disclaimer:

All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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