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A couple days ago Ray posted some quotes about writing our own stories. http://forum.staylds.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=6358 ” class=”bbcode_url”> http://forum.staylds.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=6358 This past week my middle daughter and I have been sourcing a major under graduate project for her. She is an anthropology major and her paper is about Palestine and Israel. In working through this I noted something, especially when it comes to history, stories can never get enough work. In one book a single sentence such as, “President Truman helped create the Israeli state.” is all the reader is given. It’s accurate, but a lot of details are missing. Depending on the thesis of the scholars work that’s great. The one line however can be the impetus for another deep volume all on the Truman Administration, American Jews, Exiled Jews and the years covering 1945 to 1948 – all which led up to the creation of Israel as a state.
What does this have to do with us, you wonder? Well, faith transitions can derail us from the story we thought we were writing. We had a narrative going and in that narrative we felt secure. We also had decided in that narrative if we were good or not. Then a single line, event, info begins to illuminate our story. We may not see ourselves as what we thought we were, or life as we thought it was, worse yet someone else who is also writing a book about us may be writing our story differently then we want. Now what do we do? Whose story is right?
I don’t have all the answers but I know a few things about writing and history. The story is never done. Not everyone gets the same answer. Some answers and viewpoints are deeply shaped by the time they are experienced in. If my three children were to each write their story of me, they stand the chance of being three different books, with completely different outcomes. It would be hard to say whose book on me is right or wrong. They all know a different me, in a different phase and different time.
We barely know each others stories here, but I do know all of us have been thrown into a turbulence we weren’t expecting. The seas take forever to calm. But I believe what we are writing right now can be as bright and heroic as any story. Whether you are active, less active, taking a break, whatever, take a moment each day and write the best part of you that day. Seriously stick it in a journal, web document, iphone. Look for your best and write it. It’s
yourstory and it’s valuable. I can’t express how much I love this, mom3. Thank you for sharing it with all of us.
Your opening paragraph reminded me of this excellent TED talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?language=en Hawgrrl – That is one of my all time favorite TEDtalks. I sent it to my college daughter when it first came out. I am glad you linked it. It wasn’t on my mind, but yeah same message. That is good! mom3 – I love this! I feel like this is something Orson Scott Card continually teaches through his Ender’s World characters – that is is truly difficult, and nearly impossible, to really know each other (I could start a whole other thread on this idea alone based on his books).
I think this struck home as well because as I have been working on a talk this week I am using examples of things my parents taught me. I have spent a good amount of time reflecting on my parents this week and I have some conclusions about my own mother that I don’t know if she would agree with, or admit to, but as an outside observer are true to me.
Thank you for sharing.
mom3 wrote:Look for your best and write it. It’s
yourstory and it’s valuable. Thanks, mom3.
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