Two Sides of One

“Are you ready?”
“Sure. Only I’m a bit nervous.”
“That’s no problem. It’ll definitely fizzle out.”
“Yeah.”
“The lights are up. The stage is now yours. Best of luck.”
“Yeah. Thank you.”

She wore a floor-length sequined green dress matched with a pair of black stilettos. It was an electrifying performance. Everywhere was set ablaze. There was a thunderous cheer from the audience. Seated in the audience was an old friend. She had seen the poster and wanted to be sure if it was who she actually knew. Her doubt dispersed. She joined in the cheer. Her next move was to meet the performer.

“That was terrific! Outright sensational. A great one!”
“Thank you.”
“You strutted the stage with elegance. The stage was all yours. You held the audience spellbound. Everyone was agog. Wow!”
She laughed.
“How did you do it? Don’t you get nervous?”
“Well, it’s something I’ve been doing for quite some time. I’m not just learning the ropes. Though I still get nervous. When I start, it goes backstage.”
“You must be lucky and happy.”
“Lucky. I’ll say Ok. But, happy.  I’ll say not really.”
“Why? Your fans love you. You whet their appetite. They clamour for more.”

“See, I entertain them. I pour myself out. Who does that for me when I leave the stage? I have had bouts of depression, some suicidal. I have indulged in drugs and abused alcohol. They were just monsters dragging me deeper into the mire. I didn’t find happiness.”
“So what did you do?”
“I sought another way out and found tranquillity.”
“What way?”
“Meditation. Yoga.”

“Does it mean fame is a blessing with a curse?”
“No. It’s not. It’s a tree with many branches, some facing the wrong direction.”