INCLUSION – A Kaleidoscope of Diversity

A palpable excitement in the Snehadhara family. A familial pride devoid of results or outcomes. Having been though the process with the children in many ways, there was a delight in their participation. And through the performance, a wonder at how each child maintained his/her own in the midst of an alien experience.

 I saw

The audience responding with joy and natural warmth. Of course the family members whether from the Centre or personal, carried their own emotions but others too seemed affected by the energy of the space that connected them to the performers. The patterns of the audience were a testimony to the fact that no special concessions were made to the performers as the usual annoying interruptions and cell phone usage continued to be a part of the occasion. There was curiosity, expectation, laughter, emotions generated by the flow of the play-all ensuing as always.

I saw

The children, first the audience- some were curious-questions were asked (But why are the animals sad?), observations were made (Are all the children from the same school, do they have holidays too, Oh they are all different ages, why did she die twice?) yawns were not stifled (I am bored..) and hunger was proclaimed (its late, can we go to MacDonald’s -we can’t go home and eat).

There were other children too, in the audience. They did not say much but they did absorb the sense of gravity required of them in the space. If they were disconcerted by the darkness, the play of lights, the loudness, the changes, they revealed little through their manner and voice. What went in, what would come out was irrelevant.  Untouched by expectations yet responding to the demeanor demanded by the space, and its energy. Where did it come from? And are we surprised? Should we be surprised? Can we take it in our stride; accept it as natural, truly within us, that extraordinary times will yield extraordinary results from everyone- equal or more equal alike? Where do these reserves of patience, calm, resonation of the space come from? There is no dictation  or engineering here….

And then I saw

The artists. Their entries, their exits, their presence, their songs, their movements, how they allowed the space to dictate to them and humored that dictate with aplomb. How they bore the interminable wait in the wings, how they knew within themselves that this is what is required of me at this instance and I can do it without a sense of ‘cause’, ‘effect’, ‘should’,’must’, ‘have to’,. How just being in the flow guided their beings and despite staying immersed in their own selves they became an integral part of the whole montage.Weeks of labour, yet unattached to its result. No sense of ego or pride or performance to motivate or enhance the final presentation. Just to be in the moment, with awareness, an organic, innate feeling that this is somehow important to me, to the world around me.

And so…….