The SHREK in me

When I saw the movie 'Shrek' the first time, I cried. Because I really felt for the character and cud relate to him and not because im that ugly or scary. There are times when I can drive people away from me and turn into a monster. It used to affect me earlier and I tried putting up this mask of being a very calm person but inside i wud be an erupting volcano.


The reason why Shrek was a social outcast lies in the fact that people had a pre-conceived notion about him and he didn't actually fit the bill of the so-called civilized society. Being scorned from childhood, pricked and poked by 'humans', he lived on his own and his best friend was 'himself' and his beloved place was his 'swamp'. He minded his own business and also indulged at times playing on the fears created about him by scaring humans. And so they stayed away.

It takes an ogre to know the trials and tribulations of another. And so it was. The beautiful Princess Fiona turned into an ogre when the sun set down. This she guarded as a painful secret with her life. But the one thing she wanted to run away from, she finally embraced it for the rest of her life. During various phases of life, our personalities undergo transformations. On the way, we minus things we dont want and add things we feel suit us. We adapt inhibitions, become more poised and we refine the way we talk. In short we out grow our childhood. And this goes on from school to college to work to marriage and on the way, we end up having lost and gained so much.

No matter how much you try, you just can't get rid of certain aspects in life. It keeps raising its ugly head every now and then and we guard it as a secret. Maybe there could come some good from this. As long as Shrek was in his comfort zone, nobody bothered to know him at all. It was only when his swamp was invaded that he took the risk of setting out and reclaim what he had lost. And on the way he got more than he bargained for. Thats when his true colors outshone even the most good looking of human beings.


On the contrary, Princess Fiona waited for the perfect Prince Charming to come and rescue her. And rescued she was, but by this disgustingly ugly ogre. She always dreamt of the perfect ending where finally she marries the Prince and lives happily ever after. To the world she was the most beautiful Princess and if things went right, nobody would know her ugly secret. But that was not meant to be. She had to decide between retaining her beautiful self at the cost of giving up what she really was. Or embracing true happiness by turning into an ogre. She chose the latter. And though it wasn't the perfect picture in front of the society, it felt right all the same.

Also worth mentioning is Donkey, who overcame his fear of Shrek and never left his side. He was different coz he didn't let common sense or worldly knowledge ruin his intelligence. It helps to make a knowledge database of our own, not based on what people say is best or following typical norms. We could actually surprise ourselves with something very special.


Aren't there moments in life when you feel you could really do without some of your personal traits. I DO. I could really do without some of my physical flaws, or momentary anger, or the urge to bang my head against the wall when thing don't go the way I want to, or laze around and make all sorts of excuses for everything wrong in my life. Maybe I cud work on some of them or maybe not.

And aren't there times when you feel like running through the rains, or jumping on a trampoline, playing langdi or seven tiles or cricket like kids, or relish a mango thoroughly without any care for all the juices oozing down your fingers and dress. I just can't remember when I stopped doing all this and why? May be next time I won't quieten the 'Shrek' that awakens my senses and will oblige even if it is at the cost of losing my dignity.