Live the role!

How a real life incident taught me an important lesson!

A group of nervous-looking girls, in their early teens, stood at the end of the stage. Waiting for their chance to be called on. The role for which they were getting auditioned was for a school play that involved a few angels performing a beautiful routine. The wanna-be angels were waiting to get chosen. Judging the performance were two acclaimed dance gurus.

The audition started. The instructions were simple — a few lines of a melodious song will be played, just express yourself as an angel would.

Some fluttered their imaginary wings, some flayed their arms to represent a slow glide, some tip-toed as if they were consummate ballerinas, and some tried to imitate some well known bollywood steps for ths lines being sounded out.

During the performance of one girl, probably 10th or 11th in the line, the judges called it quits. And just danced for hardly a minute while others had been on stage for much longer. Nonplussed, she stood rooted.

One of the judges walked upto her and said — “We have found our Lead Angel — Will you play the lead in the program?”. The girl stammered a hasty ‘Thank You’ and went off the stage, in a tizzy about what really happened.

Her emotions had done a volte-face from one of insecurity (“Did i dance so bad that they stopped quickly?”) to being elated (“Can’t believe that i made it — not just an angel, but the lead one at that!”).

In about 10 minutes, she was summoned to the staff room. The principal, the dance teacher and the judges were all there, sitting and sipping tea. When she requested permission to enter (“May i come in madam?!”), she was warmly welcomed. Then the elderly expert spoke out. Today we saw the performance of many girls.

While everyone tried to play the role of an angel, this girl here was already an angel on the stage, in thought, breath and action.

“After having seen her for a minute, we did not feel the need to see anymore. So, we halted the auditions. We really do not care about the angels in the background, as long as they are able to do some simple well-rehearsed moves, but we wanted the lead to be just that — An angel.”


This taught me the need to fully immerse myself into what i wanted to be. No half-attempts. Be it a role that you want to get into at work or in life, or a amazing speech that you want to deliver, or the book you always wanted to write or the song that always stops at your throat — give it your all.

Live. Eat. Breathe. Be the person that you want to be — and you shall be.


The girl who became the lead angel has now doubled up as my guardian angel as well — as a wife, bringing much cheer and positivity in my life!