Masquerade

Parents ask me, "What happened to my lovely girl/boy? Where did s/he go?" The answer is, they entered adolescence.

Adolescence is when your cute, friendly child puts on the monster mask. You, the parent, are now sitting in the audience, viewing a dramatic play that is being enacted out before you. You may be totally, even unwillingly involved. You may not even want to be there. You may want to leave. Now!

But the play isn't over yet and, since your child is one of the actors, you have to stay until the end.

Well, there is an important consolation. What you are seeing is only one act of the play, and this act is the worst, most tumultuous one. If you can hang in there, you will see the actor unmasked and -- instead of an ugly phantom -- you will find a loving young adult.

To be given the privilege of witnessing a happy ending, you need to stay in your seat and keep your voice low. If you make a lot of noise you take the chance of being evicted from the theatre.

Don't lose this opportunity to be part of "living theatre." Remember: This is a play that has Broadway potential.

Celebrate or Humiliate?

It's amazing how a person's comment can inflate or deflate our personal sense of accomplishment. I related to several people some recent "successes." One person exclaimed, "That's great, Mona!" while another one asked, "Isn't that a little slow for what you're attempting?" Well, you can guess my reaction to each of these observations.

The first remark spurred me on; the second one discouraged me. In order to avoid feeling disappointed in myself, I needed to turn to my inner "cheerleader" to reassure me.

I often wonder if the world's definition of "success" is what really counts in life. I think that being happy with oneself is the greatest success of all.