Intrigue and Paradox

Life as Myth

“You have to think of your brand as a kind of myth. A myth is a compelling story that is archetypal...It has to have emotional content and all the themes of a great story: mystery, magic, adventure, intrigue, conflicts, contradiction, paradox.”

Deepak Chopra

Soren Kierkegaard said, “Take paradox away from a thinker, and you have a professor.” Sort of a cold statement, but one that fits. When I was a teacher, I was ever strapped for time, always behind the eight ball, so I ended up teaching “just the facts, ma'am.” But life is not like that. It does not unfold in neat bullet points like a power point presentation. Life is messy and unpredictable. Just when you think you've got it nailed down the way you want it, one of those contradictions or conflicts flies right in your face. And the paradox is that sometimes the very best things come when we don't have it all nailed down.

I've been thinking about paradox a lot lately. One that is playing out in my own life now is that it has taken years of being alone to make me appreciate intimacy. Another is that aging is somehow the most youthful time of my life. I think these things gain potency when one has enough distance to see them clearly, rather than being immersed in them. As a young person, we are so anxious about life—will we succeed, will we marry happily, will we be recognized—that we can't appreciate the sacredness of everyday. It's hard to see that the good life is a process and not a destination. As we age, “getting there” matters less and less, and the anxiety around it fades. Of course, there are new concerns, but with life-experience comes the understanding that life will unfold as it sees fit, and wringing our hands won't change that.

There is another paradox; as we age, we begin to appreciate, even seek out, the mystery and intrigue, the conflicts, contradictions, and especially, the adventures. They add depth to life. How flat would our map be without those mountains climbed, and valleys explored, without caves and misty forests, dark nights of the soul, and the possibility of dragons? Our “brand” would be dull, indeed.

Life is a jewel, hidden in the back pocket of a troll. Go out there and find it.

                                                              In the Spirit,

                                                                    Jane