Anecdotario personal ¿o no? No. 1 – Chaplin
Hace un par de días encontré una públicación que hacía Charles Chaplin hacia su septuagésimo aniversario y me pareció sumamente buena para compartírselas.
Aunque antes de publicarla, comentaré que cada vez que hago referencia a este importante actor británico un recuerdo de mi pre-pubertad(por allá del año 2000) se mimetiza con mis pensamientos, éste surge cuando un amigo de mi padre me platicaba, en forma de consuelo, una anécdota que ocasionalmente menciono, ésto tras no haber ganado un concurso estatal(Veracruzano) de oratoria, en el que yo estaba participando.
Esta anécdota se remonta a un concurso estadounidense de inicios del siglo XX en donde los organizadores del evento, buscaban al mejor imitador del personaje más famoso interpretado por Charles, Charlot. Chaplin, al enterarse del “homenaje” preparado, decide participar, y una vez dentro, apoya a sus “competidores” a mejorar sus movimientos, con el fin de hacerlos más parecidos al Charlot original. La sorpresa fue que Charles no pasó ni a la segunda ronda y peor aún, obtuvo las peores calificaciones de su grupo. Este hecho fue registrado en una entrevista a Chaplin para el Heraldo de Chicago en 1915.
A pesar de ser muy claro el mensaje de este acontecimiento, sé que puede ser dificil de entender para muchos de nosotros, sobre todo en los momentos de incertidumbre al participar en distintos concursos de habilidades. Creo que al final, y aunque se lea muy trillado, lo verdaderamente importante no es indagar en quién fue el mejor concursante, sino encontrar la satisfacción personal de la dignidad cumplida.
En fin, abajo comparto este texto escrito por Chaplin a finales de los 50’s, llamado: “As I Began to Love Myself”, espero que lo disfruten como yo lo hice, o más aun.
As I began to love myself I found that anguish and emotional suffering are only warning signs that I was living against my own truth. Today, I know, this is AUTHENTICITY.
As I began to love myself I understood how much it can offend somebody as I try to force my desires on this person, even though I knew the time was not right and the person was not ready for it, and even though this person was me. Today I call it RESPECT.
As I began to love myself I stopped craving for a different life, and I could see that everything that surrounded me was inviting me to grow. Today I call it MATURITY.
As I began to love myself I understood that at any circumstance, I am in the right place at the right time, and everything happens at the exactly right moment, so I could be calm. Today I call it SELF-CONFIDENCE.
As I began to love myself I quit stealing my own time, and I stopped designing huge projects for the future. Today, I only do what brings me joy and happiness, things I love to do and that make my heart cheer, and I do them in my own way and in my own rhythm. Today I call it SIMPLICITY.
As I began to love myself I freed myself of anything that is no good for my health – food, people, things, situations, and everything the drew me down and away from myself. At first I called this attitude a healthy egoism.Today I know it is LOVE OF ONESELF.
As I began to love myself I quit trying to always be right, and ever since I was wrong less of the time. Today I discovered that is MODESTY.
As I began to love myself I refused to go on living in the past and worry about the future. Now, I only live for the moment, where EVERYTHING is happening. Today I live each day, day by day, and I call it FULFILLMENT.
As I began to love myself I recognized that my mind can disturb me and it can make me sick. But As I connected it to my heart, my mind became a valuable ally. Today I call this connection WISDOM OF THE HEART.
We no longer need to fear arguments, confrontations or any kind of problems with ourselves or others. Even stars collide, and out of their crashing new worlds are born. Today I know THAT IS LIFE!