Beg, Steal or Borrow

Still

I was young and found myself in an acting workshop – my first – given by my school organization.  Someone was telling me – me – to beg, steal, or borrow.  But I could no longer make out the face behind the booming, drill sergeant’s voice.

But I can still hear it now, still see the room with faces both young, and afraid and shell-shocked, still smell the woodsy smell of the dried palm that enveloped the walls of our little theatre stage, still feel the sting of the first slap that I delivered in a scene, still feel the delicious words that rolled out of my mouth and the thunderous applause at the closing of the imaginary curtain.

I am not sure I got the principle, though, although I remember that it was repeated often – too often, in fact.  But even then, I was not sure that I could do it.  Begging seems too desperate.  And stealing – how can anything be justified by that?

But I think I understood.  It is theatre and there is little or no money in theatre.  The lesser the money spent on incidental things like props or costumes, the better.  The art of acting, after all, is its heart.

So I learned how to act but did not learn to beg, steal, or borrow.

In fact, when I had to give up full-time work because of flailing (and failing) grades in law school, I twisted and turned and squirmed before I was able to beg my parents to please help me please.

Because when I needed something, I bought.  When I do not need anything, I also bought.  It was the easiest thing in the world, it did not bother anyone and did not involve losing face, or owing any favors, or having to be really nice and good to get a favor.

But the easiest, I realized through the years, is not the most sensible, nor the most practical.

After all, why buy a book when you will read it only once and the library (at least in San Diego) was just a 5-minute drive away?  Or your friend hinted that he had just bought the book and might let you borrow it if you are good, really good?

Replace “book” with other non-essentials or things that you will use only for a short while and I am sure you will understand the beauty of it too.

When I was pregnant, friends lent me maternity clothes and baby gear and I found the practicality of it enthralling. It was kind of earth friendly too because it operated on the principle of recycling and saving space – because what was borrowed can be returned or it could go another round and simplify another’s life – at no cost to him or her.

I do not understand why people generally like things shiny and new.  Is it for reasons of territoriality?  Or hygiene?  It is as if we experience extra joy to see our imprints on things, caught in the illusion (!) that it is actually the first imprint.  Or do people just like to spend?

I will be giving much thought to begging (uhm, maybe not too much on this one) or borrowing – both on the receiving and the giving end.  After all, receiving does not make you poor but giving makes you generous.  And generosity is the energy that would waken the power of the law of attraction.

Maybe you should give it some thought too.

Be rich,

Issa

Article by Issa.  Art by D. Copyright 2010.
website: www.YouWantToBeRich.com
email: issa@youwanttoberich.com

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