What's Your Story?

I think most of us just kind of let life happen to us.  I sometimes get focused and work a plan for short periods of time.  And then, it seems like I wander for even longer periods.  Most patterns in life follow something like this: We are born, our parents send us to school, we go off to college, we know we are supposed to get married so we start looking for a mate.  We try to find a career that we can make some money at and pay the mortgage. We get married and send our kids to school and then to college and then help pay for their wedding.  A vicious cycle for sure.  For the most part we are not intentional  We dont believe that we have as much control over our fate as we actually do.  I hear a lot of people talking about destiny and fate.  I do believe in destiny and fate but I have to tell you, I do think we have a lot more control over our lives than simply, as the song says, being dust in the wind. 

Real life characters that tell stories about their lives have something in common.  One is that they know what they want.  A character that wants something makes for a great story.  Frodo wanted to destroy the ring to save middle earth.  Maximus Aurelius wanted revenge for the killing of his family.  William Wallace wanted freedom. There is absolutely no doubt these men (and hobbits) knew what they wanted.  They knew their purpose.  If you and I know what we want and are very focused and intent and clear, our lives will make a lot more sense.  Also, just like the characters in these stories, if we are willing to sacrifice, if what we want for our life is sacrificial, if what we want is good for our families, for other people, that also makes a much more fulfilling story. 

Also, if the thing that we want is very difficult to obtain and if there is a lot of conflict, conflict actually brings meaning to our story.  The hard days that we have are made even harder if what we want is not very meaningful.  If what we want is more meaningful and sacrificial, then the conflict makes more sense and is a lot easier to bear.

So those are the elements of a great story.  And I do believe you can plan your life.  You can sit down with a piece of paper and write down the things that you want to accomplish.  You and I can plan conflict ( to a degree) that we anticipate is going to happen as we pursue our stories, and then it will not surprise us as much. 

And at the end of a year, or a decade, or a lifetime, when the credits roll, you will have a great sense of meaning and fulfillment because you have lived a terrific story with your life.

So, what is your story?