Perfecting the Stories We Tell Ourselves
We tell ourselves stories to give our lives meaning. This is
how we know who we are, where we came from, what we should be doing, and where
we want to go next. This is how we decide what is important and even what is
real.
Individuals, families, communities, cultures and nations may have
different stories and so they hold different identities and expectations. The
implication of this understanding about stories is that, when we change our
stories, our realities, our lives, and our futures change too.
I was raised as a Kool-Aid kid; two cups of sugar and a
packet of artificial colors and flavors made my world better. By the time I
raised my children, they learned that “things go better with Coke,” which could
make the world “sing in perfect harmony.” Children are now told that high
fructose corn syrup will make them sick and shorten their lives. Did you know
that New York City is banning large servings of sugary soft drinks?
In the earlier history of this country, settlers told
themselves stories of magnificent destiny, glorious exploration, conquest and
development. A continent of unbounded resources beckoned the adventurous with
open land, virgin stands of timber, and even gold. They believed that one had
only to keep looking forward, stake their claim and grow rich from exploiting
abundance.
