Daily Musing #2

I believe the beauty of a story is not just in its entertainment but primarily in the lessons it carries and the hope it can provide. I have loved fantasy since I was a child, and yes, they are incredibly entertaining; they also taught me lessons and provided hope when I felt alone, unwanted, or without a clear path. One of the most overarching lessons being that if you just keep breathing, there is always potential for change and triumph.

There are many stories still written today with great lessons, and the classics of literature are a great example, but there are also many today being offered with hollow or misguided lessons for the sake of entertainment. And so, I think it’s important we mindfully question whether the lessons carried in our stories, be they on screen, page, or audio, are guiding us towards a more authentic version of self, capable of handling the inevitable trials of life, or not.

I still reference many characters from great series I read years ago, such as Sturm Brightblade and Raistlin Majere of the “Dragonlance Chronicles”, any character from “The Lord of the Rings”, or Drizzt of the “Forgotten Realms”, and I continue to add with characters from series I read like Elric of Melnibone, Hadrian Blackwater of “Riyria Revelations” (and Chronicles), Elminster of the “Forgotten Realms”, or any character from the “Wheel of Time”. They, combined with my own life experience and research, give me a wide lesson box to pull from when trials are underway. Even guiding some of the research, such as breathwork and meditation. I would feel wrong if I did not atleast mention the great historical warriors, such as Alexander the Great, Miyamoto Musashi, Harald Hardrada, Genghis Khan, and Uesugi Kenshin.

I have used these characters and many others for motivation when training and studying as well, for if I found myself face to face with any of them I would hate not to feel worthy of addressing them. It has helped me to ponder them and my own trials when I was living amongst the New England forests and mountains. Especially during those stormy nights when the wind was raging and rain was beginning to seep into the shelter.

All of this from stories. If ever I feel guilty, I will be sure to come back and read this, and perhaps others will as well. We all deserve the privilege of good stories with helpful lessons and hope. Though the hope may come from a character’s hardship, and for that I am thankful to them.