Where the spark of our lives lie
Whether the tone is happy or sad, a story can give a great sense of satisfaction. Events fit nicely; we can judge the actions more easily, and when we are anxious about what happens next, we can keep reading or watching.
Yet, we can’t skip or make our own stories go faster. What happens in our lives sometimes looks chaotic. The line between silly and sensible decisions is blurry.
When we compare these stories, we feel drawn toward having this controlled and clear narrative in our own lives.
However, as ideal as these stories are, wouldn’t we be spoiling our story if we had the perspective of others?
A neat dragon story
No spoilers ahead.
How the pieces fit together in a story once completed is incredible.
I fell in love with “Fire and Blood” by George R. R. Martin, the story of the Targaryan Dynasty.
One of the most charming aspects of the book was the narrator. He gathers the accounts from different historians, and many times, gossip and sketchy sources are also cited. When there is a conflict between versions, the author goes as far as speculate what the truth would be, leaving a credible vagueness and the responsibility to the reader to connect the dots.
From “Fire and Blood,” I marvelled at how a story can shape chaos into a digestible narrative. Events are arranged, we can judge and contrast actions, and even if the story shakes us, we retain a sense of control.
However, the story of our lives is different from the ones we find in books or films.
In the middle of development
When compared to other stories, we don’t have the same perspective.
We are anxious to make the best decisions we can. However, the line between foolishness and sense is hard to tell apart, and what we consider the best today may differ from what our tomorrow’s self, more experienced and aided with hindsight, will.
In our lives, as much as the main characters in other stories, we are in the middle of the events. Even though, over time, our pieces will also fit nicely, in the present, they may look chaotic. We are uncertain of where all of this is leading us.
In the present, our stories are rough instead of polished. We can’t keep reading or watching the next chapter to know the conclusion. No. We have to restlessly wait for our stories to unfold naturally.
But this is where the spark of our story is.
The spark of not knowing
The essence that sets our story apart is that we are not spectators watching from above, but we live it. These seemingly opposing forces may be the tension needed to make a great journey. For what is a great hero, without a great villain?
This uncertainty is the background that makes our decisions, resolutions, and who we are stand out.
Despite chaos and ambiguity, we navigate decisions and circumstances to the best of our knowledge. We decide to go to war, regarless of fear and not knowing if we will be back. We choose to love with our whole being, even though we may feel fragile, and we end up hurt or hurting.
If there were nothing at risk, how meaningful would any of these actions be?
Whatever the outcome of our challenge or goal is, whether foolish or sane, defeat or victory, with or without wounds, we will relish the story we are writing.
Playing our role to the best we can
We strive to do our best in our stories. That is why we want to know more than we can, and the comparison between our story and others is tempting.
Yet, we have different roles in each.
In books and films, we are spectators. For a moment, we can walk in the shoes of its characters, know what they know, and see how they and their world develop.
In our story, we have a more active role. We are not watching the story unfold, but in the middle of it. The elements that could intimidate us can also be the ones to give us the opportunity to create a journey we are proud of.
It’s only human to be overwhelmed in parts of our story. However, remember your role. To do the best we can with what we have.
Thankfully, we can’t spoil our stories.
