If
the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has
no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no
creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be without
meaning. –CS Lewis
About a third of my cases are suffering from no clinically
definable neurosis, but from the senselessness and emptiness of their lives.
This can be defined as the general neurosis of our times. –Carl Jung
Our
lives are stories we are telling each and every hour we are alive. For some of
us, there is an overarching metaphor, or meta-narrative, or a true myth, if you
will, that brings continuity, meaning, and significance, to who we are,
and to all that we do. You may have never put this into words or thought of it
in quite this manner but you have intuited its reality in the lives of others.
The
teacher who sees himself (his metaphor) as a loving mentor…or (differing
metaphor) propagandist for The Cause
The
minister who sees himself as a priest loving people toward God … or feudal lord
of his feifdom
The
physician who sees herself as a healer … or well-paid mechanic
The
entrepreneur who sees herself as an evangelist for her vision … or con who
separates people from their money
Each
of these individuals is conscious of being the protagonist in an unfolding drama
that they are writing and directing.
Metaphors
lie beneath our attitudes and behaviors, and help explain our expectations of
life, self, and others, as well as our frustrations. The opposing metaphors
and, therefore, stories being told, of the teacher, minister, physician, and
entrepreneur, explain the differences in expectations, as well as between their
respective attitudes and behaviors as they live their lives. Of course, those
individuals whose metaphors are held unconsciously have no idea why they expect
what they do or where their frustrations come from. If you find yourself in
this last category, start paying attention to your expectations or frustrations
with yourself, others, work, and life in general, and you may be led to your
metaphor for life. (You can always change it, of course!)
But
what of those individuals who have no metaphor, no meta-narrative, no true
myth? I think these are the people who live senseless and meaningless lives:
lives without soul. Without a metaphor, the world is two dimensional: I will
live so many days (length), and go so many places, and do so many things
(breadth), but is lacking the third dimension of meaning (depth). It is your
metaphor—your meta-story, your true-myth—that brings depth and soul to your life.
Monte’s Third Dimension
From
the age of 14 or thereabouts, the meta-story that shaped and directed my life
is along the lines of a Fairy Tale mixed with Arthurian mythology. Early on
this story was held more subconsciously than consciously, but by 30 years old
it was, by and large, fully formed and conscious.
Life
is a Quest for the Holy Grail of knowing God
Life
is about honor, loyalty, and fealty, toward the King of all creation, and His
Kingdom
Life
is about sleighing dragons, defending the defenseless, and meeting out justice
or mercy
Life
is filled with frogs who need our love to be turned into Princes or Princesses,
treasures to be won, evil witches to be wary of, and fellow knights who support
each other on our respective quests
What
is the metaphor that you will use to bring the third dimension of depth and
soul, meaning and significance, to your life? Maybe the metaphor will start out
as a single word-- Philanthropist, Healer, Mentor, or Artist. Maybe it begins
with a phrase—Visionary Leader, Creator of Possibilities, Crusader for Love, or
Facilitator of Transformation. If you intend to bring meaning and sense to your
life, if you wish to bring the third dimension into your life’s story, it
begins here, with the metaphor—the true-myth—you choose to create.
Copyright, Monte E Wilson, 2013
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