I may be a little redundant here but like I always say, “We do not live for reality; we live for our fantasies!”

We make up stories to give our lives meaning. Once we have a story it doesn’t even matter if it comes true. It becomes who we wish to be.

Here is a picture of Coral Gardens in Homestead, Florida. A man spent his life carving out of the land below him the coral rock in which he crafted a small house, table, clock, and a myriad of very crafty things for the woman he felt would return to him. She didn’t. 

The motivation was his story, not the reality. He created something of delight and value, based on his story.

I recently attended the Shen Yun 2016 Experience a story recital with classical Chinese dance.  It was about the stories from China and the heros that were obviously not real (Monkey King) that taught a precept. The people who dance in this have all taken over a decade to learn every movement. Total devotion to convey a fantasy! Their life has been spent focused on sharing a story. That is who they are. That is what they value. A lovely performance which was beautiful in costuming.

In the US we have joint stories that are morphed to be far bigger than reality and they get solidified into a culture. We have Paul Bunyan and Washington chopping down a cherry tree, etc. etc. None of which are true, but they convey a story of honesty and resilience that gets locked down as a core component for our identity as Americans.

Watching the staging of the presidential candidates as they search for a story to identify with that will resonates with the populace is somewhat entertaining as well. We have lost the belief in our culture. We are cynical over the politicians that lie and change their story with the audience.  It almost doesn’t matter what they say. The question is; Are they consistent?

We still grasp for the story. We reach for the motivation that resounds within ourselves. Whether it be Star Wars or Frozen, if the story is spun with clarity to a point that means something to us we will embrace that as a part of our identity. It doesn’t have to be true.

I would like a more unified fantasy story for humankind, but I don’t think it will come about until we have an adversary that is not human. Will that be AI? Aliens? or some morphed vision of a culture that we designate as non-humans?

The stories we hear in the news grants us very little hope. Money grabbing, war mongering, doesn’t offer a story that we wish to be identified with. No one wants to be the bad guy, but the bad guys get the most press. 

We have no cultural identity. We like being diverse but that dissipates any unity?  Do we want the feeling of being a tribe? Can you do it without a universal story? I am trying to write such a tale with the Hiccup Chronicles a whole new viewpoint on reality that may eliminate the divide. That is my story, my purpose now in life…will it come true? Doesn’t matter. The Roadside Philosopher offering to the world the solution of perspective that might just make everything alright. That’s my story and motivation.

What are your stories? What are the values those stories convey? Have you lived up to that vision?

Enjoy your journey and the stories you create to get you there.

Hugs, Pamala

*The Roadside Philosopher