When I recognize stories as questions, they can be very helpful. They can help me orient and function in the world. And each story may be helpful in some situations, and less so in other.
But if I take a story as how things are, it gets weird. After all, the world is doing its own thing independent of my stories. And it will eventually do something that doesn’t fit my story, whatever that story is.
Chances are, it is already doing something that doesn’t fit my story, and I already know that if I am honest with myself.
And what are some of the signs of me taking a story as true? A sense of having to protect or defend it, or any identity that comes with it. A sense of separation to myself, others, life. A sense of needing to support it with other stories. Tension. Stress. Reactivity. And also saying things like in my opinion… as if I expected the world to conform!
Initial outline…
- stories
- helpful to clarify our own guidelines, if recognized that way
- otherwise, only weird, if taken as true, as how things are
- after all, the world is doing its own thing, independent of my stories, and it will do something that doesn’t fit my story, whatever that story is