To be invisible
His wish was simple. He wished he was invisible.
Why was it that every time he came to work, he was always needed by someone. “How do you do this?” “Can you help me with that?” “I’m having a serious problem, with that task; if I don’t finish it, I will lose my job. They told me to come to you.”
The problem was he had a job of his own to do which didn’t involve working with others. But he also knew that he was going to help all these people and answer all of their questions because that was the kind of person he was. He would have to complete his own work on his own time.
He wished he was invisible.
Unfortunately, that was not going to happen at home until the kids went to sleep. For at home the requests continued. “Dad, can you help me with my homework?” “Dad, you were going to show me how to set up the computer.” “Dear, I’m running late for my PTA meeting, can you finish making supper?
He wished he was invisible.
So there it was late at night, everyone nestled cozily in bed while he was left alone in his study, writing. For that is what he did. He wrote. Unlike writing fiction, which had a self-imposed deadline, he was a journalist who had a fixed deadline. The news must be current and well written enough to entice their readers to stick with the journal he wrote. A loss of readership meant a loss of a job. So late hours it was, with little sleep, as days dragged on.
Oh, how he wished he was invisible.
But then during those short hours of sleep, he dreamt. And it was the same dream that recurred. It was like the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life”. He becomes invisible and there before him he sees a world of chaos and depression and anger that occurs without him there to be seen, without his support and help.
And he realizes that he is, who he is and whether invisible or not, he would never let those that needed his aid and assistance remain helpless. They might be confused a bit, having invisible counsel, but in the end, they would be satisfied with the help received. And he would still get his work done and little sleep. Such is life. Hiding yourself from what you really are, deceives only you and in the end can only disappoint others.
So for heaven’s sake!… Be the person you are meant to be. And visible.
