“I had always felt life first as a story.” 

--G. K. Chesterton

We humans are shaped by stories. More than we sometimes admit, the right story is air to us, or food.  Barry Lopez, the author of Arctic Dreams, said this: “If stories come to you, care for them.  And learn to give them away where they are needed.  Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive.” 

Can you think of a time when you’ve needed a story that desperately--and then the story came to you? In a book, on the movie screen, or from the lips of a friend? Can you think of a story that not only swirled through your imagination but hit that needy spot in your heart, and gave you the strength to take another step?

It would be an interesting way to create a timeline (or storyboard) of your life, actually: to map out your history based on the driving story (book, film, character) that propelled you during that season.

What stories would show up on your timeline? Post a couple in the comments below. I’ll tell you one of mine tomorrow.