A thought suddenly comes across my mind while watching a flock of birds flying over the glowing sunset. Are we living as one? Every existence in this world, besides humans, coexists as one. But why have we forgotten how to coexist and why do we live cutting ourselves off from others and the world? We never stop comparing ourselves with others, and then feel so proud or distressed. Why are humans so self-absorbed?
The appeal of TV audition programs lies in the fact that the obscure performer is given a chance to reveal his/her talent to world. Contestants demonstrate their abilities and some of them are recognized for their potential, while others leave the stage in tears after hearing unexpected and harsh criticism.
On April 11th, 2009 there’s not a hint of warmth or kindness from the Britain’s Got Talent stage. Then a 47-year old lady boldly strides onto the stage. She has come despite the cold-hearted atmosphere of fierce competition. Her name is Susan Boyle. She looks quite ordinary, homely in fact. The audience hoots at her dowdy appearance, and even the judges look at her with disdain. Humans are such selfish existences, brutal even to its own kind. Susan is also a human being who just wants acceptance. However, the audience and judges laugh at her age and ignore her hopeful statement that she wants to become a singer like Elaine Paige. I feel ashamed to admit that I was also snickering at her “naiveté.” The song Susan chose was “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Misérables, a famous musical drama film. With an assertive smile, she begins to sing.
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Britain’s Got Talent 2009 |
“I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted
But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame
And still I dream he’ll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather
I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I’m living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.”
Her beautiful voice, delivering her sincerity, arouses the audience’s enthusiasm. The lyrics of the song so perfectly reflect Susan’s feelings that the audience can’t help but be affected. Although she had been chasing her dream, Susan’s reality kept her from achieving it. Thus she suffered in agony, turned away by the heartless society. However, Susan’s voice made us feel as though we were becoming one through the music, a gift from the world. She shows us that not a single person is insignificant; every one of us is precious and we should live in harmony with the gamut of unique existences.
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Britain’s Got Talent 2009 |
I feel terrible that the current mindset is one in which we have turned our backs against the world, struggling to live in our own narrow-mindedness. How joyful and happy would it be if we could coexist? Everyone would become one with the world, always grateful to the world and existing for one another… Maybe the people who talk of such a world are regarded as idealists, dreamers. That’s how it has been so far. However, we have already been coexisting, actually. Within your delusion, you felt gloomy as if you were living alone in the world. But the fact that you are breathing and living in the world means the world is already living and because the pure origin that created the world is eternally living, everything has been possible. It’s just that we have been living, forgetting about the real world.
Why can’t we accept a complete human being as he/she is? Probably because we have such selfish minds that choose to ignore others and ruthlessly laugh at them. We feel as though people ignore and laugh at us, so it’s okay to do that to others. I hope the day comes when we can throw away such a mindset and become one with the world, loving each other and existing for one another, a day when the world can coexist. Do you want to live a beautiful life? If so, let go of that selfish mind and feel the beauty of the world.
