Parable Explained

The feedback I've received from some regarding my parable is that it ends too soon. Only one person was brave enough to actually leave me a comment about it (thank you Uncle!), everybody else either ignored it, didn't "get" it, or said that without an ending, it really wasn't complete. My friend "Piano Linda" and I did discuss it yesterday while we were out doing other things and I appreciate what she had to share.

I'm sorry to leave it so unfinished, but the truth is, the ending is whatever you think. Did the woman go on stage and try to direct the orchestra with her burdensome headpiece on or did she take it off and enjoy the freedom of just being herself, not really caring what others thought about how she looked? My friend thought that she would not have the courage to put her self-imposed burden aside, caring more about what she THOUGHT others would say or think about her. The sad part is, it's all her PERCEPTION of what she thinks others think. For her, this perception was her reality, but the truth is, perhaps people wouldn't have minded her baldness. Perhaps they would have admired her courage in being herself. Maybe they would love and accept her no matter what she looked like if she would have given them a chance to see the real her.

What is the lesson? Parables are supposed to contain a moral teaching, a lesson for us to learn. They are a way of explaining truth by using common life examples, although in this case, it is not common that we would direct a symphony orchestra. It IS common, however, that as we make our way through life, we are sometimes afraid to reveal our true selves even to those we love.

I would venture to say that some of you have given up on me at this point, thinking that this is a bunch of pyscho-babble nonsense. Perhaps, but I don't intend for it to be. Personally, I wanted the woman to experience the freedom to live without that heavy burden on her head. Without her worrying about whether people could see her baldness or not, and without being concerned about what they would think about it should they see it. I think had she been able to leave that tiara and wig behind, she would have found great joy directing that music, and would be on the road to discovering and experiencing all that her Creator intended for her to be.

I encourage you readers to do the same.

One last confession-this was not a parable I happened to think up. In case you haven't guessed by now, this was a very vivid dream that I had the other night. I was the woman with the heavy headpiece on. It doesn't have an ending because I woke up suddenly, startled, as I dreamed I was going on stage. I don't know how it ends, but because it was so vivid, and I remembered every detail so well, I decided to share it with you. I don't normally pay attention to dreams, however, this one was quite different. There ya go. You now know "the rest of the story" (thanks to Paul Harvey).