The downfall of Hamlet was his hesitation to take action. Had he questioned himself using the verb to become instead of to be, he would have realized that the opportunity to rise to the occasion is always available to anyone. Fortunately, Shakespeare was aware that if Hamlet were to have considered the possibility of becoming, then one of the greatest tragedies in the dramatic arts never would have been created.
Like the difference between the verbs to be, which is static and connotes a state of permanence, and to become, which implies a sense of continuous transformation, there is meaningful distinction between an enlightened and an empowered person. To be enlightened is to reach a serene state of being in which a profound sense of inner peace coexists with and in spite of the trials of living–an accomplishment rarely achieved by the average individual . To become empowered, however, is an unceasing self-development process that charges up the individual with a high dosage of personal power that allows him or her to face the challenges of life with unfazed courage. Self-empowerment is the quest for becoming in order to adapt to the constant changes of life.
Thus, if enlightenment is the pair of wings that allows us to fly to a higher level of consciousness, self-empowerment is the solid rock upon which we are able to stand when the world around us falls apart.
Excerpted from ZENior CitiZEN: Mastering the Art of Aging
