Tell Me A Story, Your Life
Myth, a fabulous story of a single individual of destiny, that inscrutable intersection of circumstance has placed on the pivot point of choice! Is it to be “life”, or will it be “death”, capitulation to maintain things as they are, to remain asleep? What will you do with your life? The great wager, a pledge of life itself against overcoming formidable and unknown odds is the essence of a mythic tale. The hero is defined by odds unfavorable to his/her survival. To elevate the stakes to a further vertiginous plateau the hero is always accompanied by a supporting cast of confidants, fellow travelers fate has assembled to travel a similar path.
The hero may accept the cards dealt by destiny, or may decline the offer. Refusal means the story ends in a cul-de-sac, the finish of what might have been. But if he/she accepts the proffer you have the makings of a great epic, a myth.
These elements were discussed last night, by circle of nine, physically present in several States, but spiritually/intellectually/existentially present on zoom screens. How could each of our lives, details of potential mythic dimension, be anything less than great, a one of a kind, never before tale of survival despite formidable circumstantial obstacles, and antagonists? Every man and woman’s story has that potential.
According to our discussion of mythologist Joseph Campbell’s elements of myth, everything hinges on whether one manages to view one’s self as their own hero. As you’d expect a hero-in-the-making needs help to overcome self-doubt, in order to discover inner resources. Is one dimension of our circle of discussion exactly such an offer of assistance to one another? Help is the sine qua non for a life well lived, a great adventure despite the odds.
Current mythic legends are J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Star Wars, The Matrix trilogy and the Mad Max series of tales. I’d like to write more about the Mad Max tales in the future.
Here is a tune worthy of today’s theme. Enjoy! We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) by Tina Turner.
