The Oddity of Puppets
Celebrating What Makes Us Unique
What is it about puppets that draws us in? Perhaps it’s their oddity—their ability to exist just outside the boundaries of what we call "normal," and yet, through their strangeness, they reflect something profoundly human back to us.
As Matt Smith writes:
“The puppet can become a great collaborator because of its inherent oddity, otherness, and transgressive potential. It allows for creativity and expression without adhering to societal norms.”
When I think of La Befana’s role in my life during this time, she certainly acted as collaborator and guide in embracing “otherness”
Her exaggerated features—her huge nose and wart on her chin served as a sort of mirror for the parts of me that I’ve been taught to keep hidden.
The otherness that this puppet evoked was magnified in the streets of Harlem where it was so clear that both her and I were “outsiders”
But the more I puppeteered her on the streets and the more encounters we had with others, the less I saw myself as being “in” or “out” and more so as a sacred thread in a legend larger than myself.
In her otherness, the Befana puppet created a space for my own becoming —one that did not exclude, but included my otherness.
Through her, I discovered that one can actually show up in this world honestly, deeply, without pretense and with an actual appreciation for that which makes us different, if not a little bit “odd”
I even learned that we can exaggerate that which makes us “odd” in ways that helps us to break free from the societal spell that taught us that for us to survive this world, we must force ourselves to fit in, or worse stay sitting at tables that do not satiate the hunger of our Soul.
Puppets in this way, and not just the La Befana puppet, can become collaborators and co-conspirators in our quest for inner freedom.
They can help us step outside of societal expectations where we are free to explore ways of being and doing that are more in alignment with our highest selves as opposed to our cultural conditioning.
The La Befana puppet as well as many other puppets (even ones I would have never considered to be a puppet before) have showed me that we can celebrate our oddities, our uniqueness, and from that space, create something truly extraordinary
🌟 Espresso Yourself: Prompts for Reflection 🌟
What part of you feels “odd” or “other”?
How can you embrace that part as a source of creativity?When have you experienced the freedom that comes from stepping outside of societal expectations?
What did it feel like?How can you celebrate your own “oddness” this week?
What would you create if you embraced the full extent of your unique self (warts & all)How can you transform your warts into wisdom?
Join Me as a Guest Writer/Storyteller for the 12 Days of Befana
Join the 12 Days of Befana—a series of personal stories from guest writers/storytellers of all ages exploring themes of kindness, welcome, belonging, transformation, and the sacred in everyday life. Inspired by the legend of La Befana & my experience animating a puppet of this character in the streets of NYC during the pandemic, the 12 Days of La Befana is a celebration of our shared humanity woven from the stories of our lives. If you’d like to share a story, check out the writing prompts in the google form below. Please note that you are welcome to write or voice record your response. After completing the form and choosing a prompt, I will send you further instructions on publication. The deadline to be a featured guest writer/storyteller is December 15th.
❤️🙏🏼