We can never teach you the most important thing.
A person becomes what path they choose. More precisely, they become who they wish to be. And according to that, they make small decisions that lead them toward that goal. Or let me try it another way.
One day, before the summer holidays, I asked my good friend—let’s call him August: “Hey August, if you were your shadow, what would you be?” August was surprised by my question: “What do you mean by shadow?” “Well, a shadow as Jung defines it,” I answered. “But I don’t really know exactly what Jung means by that,” he objected. And since I didn’t feel like looking up the precise definition of the word “shadow,” we simply started talking and trying to clarify it. “Well, basically your own caricature. Something ridiculous, without dignity. Dark. Like Frodo had his shadow, Gollum. It was his inverted face. It was always before his eyes, accompanying him on his journey to Mordor. It was clear to him that if he succumbed to the power of the ring, he would become Gollum.” “Oh, that’s interesting—so who I would be as Gollum…,” August replied thoughtfully. And so we began to talk about how, if a person takes the wrong path, they become Gollum—their own caricature, the reverse of themselves, something blurred, untrue, unfree, closed in its own shell, without light or hope. It would only long greedily for the power of the ring, and nothing else would matter. The beauty of life, people, and the world would remain forever hidden. But we also agreed—August and I—that a person always has a choice. “Of course,” August continued, “like in Harry Potter. When the Sorting Hat didn’t know which house to assign him to—Gryffindor or Slytherin—Harry chose Gryffindor. And the hat respected it. Yes, that’s it. You have to tell your kids that,” August added firmly.
I am writing this to you, dear young friends, because otherwise August would not let me sleep and would haunt me at night, insisting that I pass this message on to you. That you can become this or that. The bright side or the dark side. To look upward toward the light, or to keep your head bowed toward the ground. You can build the world, create it, but also destroy it. You can make people happy and inspire them, or make them sad. You can give hope—or take it away. Through your own will, decision, and desire, you can become either one or the other: your radiant self that opens and inspires, or the grey shadow of yourself that closes and destroys.
Why am I writing this reflection at the beginning of the year? Because I would like to say at the start of our work and creative process that in TALENT we can really do a great deal. We can teach you many things—how to create, write, communicate, work with text, be spontaneous, authentic, express yourselves in a cultivated way, perceive your body and movement, find your voice, charisma, and talent. But we can never teach you the most important thing: what you will use your talents for. Because that would mean interfering with your freedom, and that is not possible. Freedom is sacred and cannot be traded. We can inspire you, but we cannot decide for you. That is entirely up to you. We can only keep our fingers crossed that you will make wise choices and use your talents and skills—the things we teach you—for good. We sincerely wish that you shine with your beauty and dignity, and that you leave behind a trace of hope and inspiration in the world, one that future generations will remember with love and gratitude.
Bonne chance, dear young friends.
Erika Merjavá
