carrying our stories

“We carry our stories, and they become so airtight that we can suffocate ourselves with them.”
– Lemn Sissay

I had to stop the podcast and write this down when I heard Lemn say it. Boy, does it ring true. There are several aspects of my life that I consider integral parts of my story, that define who I am in a way.

And yet…

There remains a great deal about my path, about how I can be most useful in this world, that remains very, very unclear. There’s something about this quote that struck a chord directly related to this feeling.

I wonder if those things that I hold as definitions of myself, as tentpoles in my own story — I wonder if I’m holding them just a bit too tightly. What would it be like to allow myself to not know my own story and to look in curiosity and discover it? Is that even possible?

As you can see, there are several unanswered questions here. I’m curious as to what the quote brings up for you. How do you carry your story?

 

p.s. Happy Birthday to Bacana Notions! Today we enter into our 5th year of these posts. Liz and I are so very grateful for everyone who reads these words, and we hope they bring a moment of joy or thoughtfulness or whatever you need to your day.