Rebirth

Rebirth. rē-ˈbərth. Illusively, these seven letters cramped together don’t appear profound, cavernous or tortuous. But, after cogitating and glancing at them with a devout eye, sharply slicing through its intricately woven layers, the factitious and deceitful nature of this word is revealed, as its implicit connotations are brought to light.

At first glance, the mind impetuously assimilates this word’s meaning to solely being confined to the literal definition, ‘a second birth’. However, in the words of Oscar Wilde, to define is to limit. By rigidly abiding to a sole elucidation, we are allowing our minds to be reigned by millions of invisible strings, tightly straining our expansive imagination and halting it from frenziedly running wild. 

‘Rebirth’ does not only refer to the continuous cycle of life, in which upon death, we are yet again cast back into the environment we have become accustomed to, yet now existing in a different mould. Rebirth also attests to the capricious and dynamic traits embedded into us humans. Throughout the course of our lives, we persistently explore fresh avenues, critically question what we once conceived as the truth and discover previously unknown facets of ourselves. Perhaps, the most striking element of life is that in just one birth- we experience countless lives as we quell our past appearances, forging ourselves into new entities. 

But why do we collectively feel the need to routinely alter ourselves, veering from one veneer to another? While the relatively more accepted notion is that our consistent evolution is due to the world being encompassed by a plethora of contradictions. As our knowledge perpetually widens, we keep finding newer, more appealing forms of solace and comfort which help re-shape our identities. But, the auxiliary belief is that our identities fading away and being reborn again, in an unrecognisable manner, is because our own selves make us the most unhappy. Thus, driving the uncontrollable desire to reinvent ourselves. For instance, in Greek mythology, the Furies were goddesses of vengeance and justice, who travelled the earth dispensing punishments and tormented damned souls, imprisoned in the Underworld. They punished their victims by playing a wild, paralytic song through which intense feelings of guilt and remorse arose, making them uncomfortable in their own skin to the extent of wanting to barbarically rip it apart. 

“The Furies drove people mad by turning up the volume of inner monologues, magnified qualities already present in great excess, amplified the obstinate little voices in people’s heads. They made people so much themselves that they couldn’t bear it” - Donna Tart, The Secret History 

There are too many such perceptions to count, each one appealing to a certain individual. However, no matter what your own personal opinion is, the fact still remains unchanged. The fact that in just one life, we humans undergo metamorphosis, continually evolving into more advanced versions of ourselves. Yet, rebirth is not something to abhor, rather we should appreciate our ability to accept that we are flawed, which serves as the primary motivator for us to embark upon endeavours to better ourselves at every tick of the clock and every time the enchanting hues of the morning sun seep their warmth onto the blazing window- signalling a fresh start, an opportunity to rediscover, rethink and redefine