Show Me Who You Are
Only After A Challenge You Can Know The Truth About Yourself
What is it about that scene from Dune: Part Two that is so captivating? The one with the Harkonnen arena and the introduction of Feyd Rautha. That moment when he realizes that Baron betrayed him and didn’t drug the last Atreidie. And then he leans forward, looks Feyd straight in the eye and says show me who you are. That sends shivers down my spine. It is so goddamn raw and brutal. It is like now you are on your own and there is no one to save you. It is like you think you are so cool, this is the time to show what you are made of. Or throwing you out of the warm and cosy house as a teenager and saying that you are on your own from now. It is literally giving you an ultimate duel when killing your enemy is the only way out from your own detriment. The boats are burned. There is only one way out and it is forward. You live or you die. Primal to the depths of every man’s heart.
There are moments in our lives that have great significance. Moments that are so intense that they require all the power of our souls and more. Your body is being stretched to the limits as well. It is a make-it-or-break scenario. Raw, captivating and deeply intimate. Not because of some seductive company you enjoy. But purely based on a deeper connection with yourself. A more pristine look into the very essence of one’s being. That is exactly when you feel the most alive. Do you remember the last time that it happened in your life?
For me, it was going abroad to live on my own in my very young days. I was a punk without any real-life experience but full of megalomaniac dreams about my bright promising future. And I was thrown into the harsh and cold environment of Brussels City's darkest districts where nobody cared about any of it. Felt very much like survival mode on. There were times when I did not know where I sleep in the upcoming night. It was harsh as hell for my young and innocent mind, but I recall this time as being the brightest period of growth.
Another one was the moment I lost it all. I quit my job and soon afterwards I had a breakup with my girlfriend. No home, no work, no spouse. Thats it. And then I had to build it up again. In a better way. I moved to a very modest apartment and started building back up from there. Found some architecture clients, and created a furniture side business. And started writing regular articles in several magazines. That time was highly turbulent, but strikes me as the most beautiful when I look back.
Some people love being thrown into the Harkonnen arena, others not so much. But the universe works in mysterious ways. We feel the very pulse of life itself running through our veins when we face existential danger. It requires us to find resources that we never thought we had. And we are very much changed afterwards. This is the evolution of the soul.
Oh, I felt this one! I got chills just now reading about your chills during that scene. 😆 I haven’t seen Dune, but now my interest has been piqued! Five years ago, I had a “show me who you are” moment that lasted years when my entire world blew up in every possible way. It felt like being skinned alive. There were times I doubted my ability to survive it. But I did and now see it as the best thing that ever happened to me.
I don’t know how it all works, but I love that we all seem to be given those moments, opportunities, to really discover what we’re made of. Thank you for sharing your stories of resilience. ✨
"It is a make-it-or-break scenario. Raw, captivating and deeply intimate. Not because of some seductive company you enjoy. But purely based on a deeper connection with yourself. A more pristine look into the very essence of one’s being. That is exactly when you feel the most alive."
You said this so perfectly, I knew exactly what those moments are for me. It's when I take a risk, knowing people close to me - or a greater mass - won't agree with me. It's when you put yourself out there and succeed - not by the world's standards, but by your own. When you surprise yourself with a risk you never thought you'd take.