Waiting For Godot

I just saw this play for the 3rd time. Ten of us had front row seats in a College Theater . I am getting hold of it now. I always thought the play was by a French Athiest wrestling about life having no meaning; a kind if nihilist attitude toward our humanoid existence.

I talked, after the play to one of the lead actors; asking what did the play say to him ? He answered me:

"Hang in there! You don't have to know everything. Try to be faithful to the best you know."

I like that. Until this rendering of Beckett's unusual thoughts, I believed it was about Religion and waiting for God. The stark setting is just two big rocks and one twisted tree. I let my imagination run with the basically two actors, rambling on.

Life is not fair. We did not ask to be born. But the gift of life dares us to take the Hand dealt to us and do something with it. We occupy space. We, like Jacob in the Bible, can wrestle with What or Who made us. Life is a journey with choices. Suicide, which they try in the play, is really not a viable option. As I listened to their dialogue I found myself saying :"It's not what happens to you in life that matters... but what you do with what you have." The "Unbegin Begining & Sustainer of Life” will not look us over for our wealth, degrees, prestige, but for what we gave ourselves, too; & our scars.

The tree is full of symbolism: Death, life, tree of knowledge, hanging.

The moment we are born we begin to die. The whole time portrayal is recognized when the tree grow leaves. The fact that Pozzo goes blind & Lucky becomes mute throws us into a realization for me: “that life is a testing." Life does have meaning. Hope & Patience & Endurance. We need one another.

Be "Loyal to the Royal” the best you can visualize, whether you see or can attain it.

I hope you see the play sometime & have close enough seats to grapple with possible meanings. Caleb 5-25/03