Unlocking the Monsters

"She was fascinated with words. To her, words were things of beauty, each like a magical powder or potion that could be combined with other words to create powerful spells." --Dean Koontz

I am reading a book called What is your What? by Steve Olsher. Actually, I'm picking through it slowly, digesting each part bit by bit in an attempt to find my center again and then sky-rocket my life further than I ever thought I could go! I promised Mama Schaefer before she died that I would. She knew I'd been struggling for the last few years with some really big life-questions and she often just let me talk some of them through with her. Sometimes a good sounding board is all I need, but not this time. Thankfully, I have been able to finally just "be still" and listen for signs, help, and answers from God and the Universe. The author of What is your What? came to speak at Wake Forest University, where I work, and we've had his books on our shelves for months. Self-help books are not normally what I read, but I kept going past this stack day after day and curiosity finally got the better of me. One day, when it was really quiet in the store, I picked up a copy and started thumbing through it. I was caught by the following passage, referring to the iconic figures of Cinderella and Luke Skywalker, probably because that seemed like a really weird pairing. Olsher says of them, "...they start out with their inherent greatness suppressed by difficult childhoods and buried by harsh circumstances...The central message of these stories has great resonance for all of us." (p.1) I wanted to know what my life could possibly have to do with fictional characters and I was highly skeptical that Mr. Olsher could connect them to me. I did, however, agree with his premise that a difficult childhood and harsh circumstances can, indeed, bury us--been there, done that, got the T-shirt! So, I bit the bullet and bought the book.

As I pick apart each piece of the book, I chew on sections, such as listing three of my "loosing it" moments or being prompted to create a list of three life-altering moments. What makes me loose it? What events have happened to me over the years that have changed my life entirely? Images quickly come to mind and I've already written in the margins way more than the prerequisite groupings of three that he's asked for. When I got to the section on the disconnect of how the "world" sees you versus how you'd like for it to see you, I had to really think about the way I might come across to others. It's not easy to look through someone else's lens and turn that focus on yourself, so once I'd made my choices, I asked an Aunt of mine whom I knew would give me honest feedback, even if it was brutally honest. Our ensuing discussion was very healing. I'm currently stopped at the section where Mr. Olsher challenges us to look at our lives as a "series of scenes that adds up to an epic film." Looking at all the people--past, present, and future as characters in our story? Totally in my element! It makes me smile HUGE because that's one of the things that has driven and inspired the books I'm writing! I have to say, I love it when events in various parts of my life overlap and/or connect--makes me feel like I'm headed in the right direction and helps me feel more balanced and grounded! I'm hanging with you so far, Mr. Olsher! Don't lose me in self-help, guru obscurity!

*Image from mycutegraphics.com.

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