Monday, December 6, 2010

DO YOU WEAR A MASK

The INSIDE and the OUTSIDE
A Story
By
VIKRAM KARVE



Here is an apocryphal story I heard once:

A certain man made an appointment to see a counsellor.

He arrived at the psychotherapist’s office and said to him, "Sir, please help me. I always feel depressed. No matter what I do I still feel depressed. I just don’t 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 tent over there in the distance...?"

"Yes," the depressed man answered.

"That is the circus tent and let me tell you that this new circus is really good. There are lots of performances 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. Yes, he wears so many masks - masks of animals, masks of famous personalities, all types of masks and he acts terrific. He will make you rock with side-splitting laughter over and over again. Go and see that clown, watch his fantastically funny performance and I guarantee you that your depression will disappear," the psychotherapist advised the depressed man.

The depressed man turned to the counsellor with sad eyes and said, "Sir, I am that Clown...!!!"

Moral of the Story:  
The Inside and the Outside may be vastly different and deep inside things may not be as they seem from the outside.

Moral No. 2:  
Do you wear a mask? A Mask of Pretence, a Mask of Fake Emotions, a Mask for the outside world, trying to portray something you are actually not deep inside? 
Dear Reader - read this story again - get the message - never "fake it" - don't show off - be yourself - Don’t wear a mask - it may affect your health in the long run.

Do tell me if you liked this story


VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2010
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.  
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
VIKRAM KARVE educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU, The Lawrence School Lovedale, and Bishop's School Pune, is an Electronics and Communications Engineer by profession, a Human Resource Manager and Trainer by occupation, a Teacher by vocation, a Creative Writer by inclination and a Foodie by passion. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. His delicious foodie blogs have been compiled in a book "Appetite for a Stroll". Vikram lives in Pune with his family and pet Doberman girl Sherry, with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog - http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com
Academic Journal Vikram Karve – http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile of Vikram Karve - http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve 
http://books.sulekha.com/book/appetite-for-a-stroll/default.htm
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

A very interesting story,

I am a multimedia student and I am looking for such stories I'll be pleased to you if you allow me to use your stories for my projects, as I am not a good story teller in my class I request you to do me the above favor.

Syed Nomaan Kaleem.
Hyderabad.