its probbably an analogy already used. I’m not pretending it is original or thought provoking to none other than me. But.
I sat chatting to a friend via a social network this evening. We described our days to each other. It got me thinking as to how we adopt so many roles in a day in order that we may get through the day.
Then the circus came to kind. Now I’ve never even been to the circus. It son the list of things that I wouldn’t put in a list of things to do before I die. Sort of thing.
Anyway back to the circus. There’s lion tamers, tightrope walkers, fire eaters, jugglers, clowns, acrobats and of course the ringmaster. I’m the least brave person you’ll meet. I won’t step onto the tightrope because I wouldn’t be even up there. Fire and eating seem an utterly preposterous combination. And why tame a lion? I don’t take risks and my desire to perform in front of others is repressed.
I do however have children. Metaphorically I then become each act in a circus. Not by choice or intentionally. I am one of these at some point in a day. The lions need taming, I must juggle acrobatically and eat the occasional fire.
How much control do I have in these multiple roles? In truth very little. It is an expectation that we adopt them. An expectation of the children, the wider family and society in general.
There are those who hand over the roles to others. They send their children off to school, they hire staff to care for them and they expect others to be held responsible for them. By paying someone to care or school your children does not however remove that need to fulfil the roles we that cannot and will not pay for. Money is not the key. Money gives options to people but should never rule them out of the responsibility of being occasional acrobat, clown or tightrope walker.
Because when the money goes, the circus comes to town.
The John Linney 