I am not the first person to notice that life is ongoing improvisational theater. Shakespeare, for instance, spoke about life being a stage. We are all performing, ad lib, our dramas and comedies in various settings and scenes each and every day. We engage in dialogue and we wear costumes; everyone does.

Yet, most people do not wish to think about this. They hope that it really doesn't matter one bit that they didn't handle that last bit of action that swell, or that they engage in bad dialogue - they pray no one cares or notices.

Sikhs, on the other hand, know that God notices. Actually I think all humans know that the Great Spirit is watching us - but again, we just want to deny that awareness.

Yet rumor has it that we will see the whole performance of our life played before our eyes on our death day. The movie of what really happened this life will be shown and we will watch and learn.

Costumes Help

Doctors' and nurses' uniforms, a fire fighter's hat and all the other official costumes that invoke different duties and roles help people to better fulfill their various commitments and roles while on earth. For instance, it is easier to do the things that the police have to do while wearing a police uniform. In truth, it is hard to exert the authority of the police without the police uniform.

In exactly the same way it is easier to do the things Khalsa Sikhs are required to do while wearing the Khalsa uniform. That is why Guru Gobind Singh insisted on it, I feel.

As a Theater Director I insist that my actors wear the correct costumes to act their roles as well. None of this is that strange or mysterious now, is it?

The Khalsa Uniform and Role

For those who wear the Sikh Turban, unshorn hair and other Ks, there is no doubt that you have agreed to a role in life and it is not an easy role either. At the level we are all actors, I know that we all understand that we are not as good as Khalsa soldiers/saints need to be. We may not be perfect in keeping our vows, yet we know that life is for praying and receiving healing and help from God. None of us are perfect. It takes Grace for that to happen and we must keep praying and striving.

Yet, if you wear the Khalsa costume out on the World Stage, it is your job to act in such a way that Khalsa Vows get associated in the mind of your audience with the Khalsa uniform. You need to act the part of Khalsa the best that you can.

It matters. People are always watching and so is God and Guru.

A turban feels a bit like wearing a crown and I believe that it should be worn with that sense of nobility. It is the ultimate anti-caste declaration. We are all of noble birth. Wear your turban with great pride and royalty.

Now, if you are a Khalsa man, consider your beard for a moment. You may never have thought about this before, but your beard acts like a mask.

Your beard covers your lower face and thus you can hide behind it.

Masks are wonderful and powerful and useful, but you need to be aware of them and use them effectively. Some Khalsa men have light beards, which exposes their lower faces and mouth area. You can tell more what these men are feeling because you can see all the various little expressions around the mouth. If you have a thicker beard, you need to understand that people cannot read your emotions. This can make you appear a bit suspect and scary; which is great when you are on a battlefield but has to be counteracted some, I feel, when you are engaged in home, village and city life.

Thus, I invite Sikh men practicing cherdi kala to remember to actively beam smiles and good will. This transforms the mask into a charming and loving face that everyone responds to. If you wish to be loved and understood, smile at everyone! Reach out, make friends. This is the basic universal multicultural truth. Be brave. Do not fear social rejection. Reach out with a big smile and teach Khalsa by example.

However, when faced with a real danger and the need to be a warrior, the fact that your adversary cannot read the delicate lines around your mouth is a great asset. Bare your teeth and roar. Masks are very useful, like I said before!

Acting Like Khalsa

There is privacy within the Khalsa uniform, as in all uniforms. You are representing something bigger than you are and you are shielded by that something bigger as well.

If you are shy, the Khalsa costume and role will force you to stand out and to reach out and teach Sikhi. Yet, in some wonderful way the Khalsa uniform gives you a certain privacy to stand behind as well. Many difficult decisions on how you choose to act in life, in good times and especially in hard times, are already decided as soon as you become Khalsa. The police do not run away from the scene of crime, firefighters stay and face the fire and the Khalsa fights for social justice, all over this world. Not just social justice for Sikhs either, but for all peoples.

Being Khalsa isn't for everyone. It is a commitment to act virtuously in every scene of this life to the best of your ability. You are going to fail at times and need forgiveness and Grace - that is part of God's Divine Play as well; part of the great drama we are all living.