Tell your story

Wednesday, May 22, 2013


It's 7:01 pm. My meeting started one minute ago. Our topic tonight is, Documenting our Legacy. I'm not ready and still not sure if I'm going to go. I am heavy on the bed listening to cnn for the first time all day. I needed a break. I hear Anderson Cooper say, "Next, a family who lost their little girl in the tornado, they want to tell her story, they want you to know who she was." I took that as a sign. I showered and drove to my meeting. 

“Above all else, it is about leaving a mark that I existed: I was here. I was hungry. I was defeated. I was happy. I was sad. I was in love. I was afraid. I was hopeful. I had an idea and I had a good purpose and that's why I made works of art. ” Felix Gonzales-Torres. 
Years ago I read that quote, it put words to a feeling that I'd had for a long time.

We exist. We have a story. Life is about figuring out how we tell it.

Everyday I encounter ordinary people, with ordinary lives. I am one of them. We're all making a living, raising a family, busy, stressed, happy, sad, with wins and losses, going about our days, generally unknown to the larger world. Striking were the times when I was wandering around a country like India or Nepal and I would see people where ordinary means you're one of a billion people, in poverty, with little room for mobility. Looking at yourself in that situation, you may wonder, how do I matter? What am I really leaving behind?

The fact is, we all have a story. And we all have a story that affects someone else. And many times, we don't see it the impact of it. We mistakenly focus on feeling less than, not so special, a small voice in a very big world. We need to try more often to see our impact, cherish our place, direct our story. 

"The majority of us lead quiet, unheralded lives as we pass through this world. There will most likely be no ticker-tape parades for us, no monuments created in our honor. But that does not lessen our possible impact, for there are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our unique talents. Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have a potential to turn a life around. It’s overwhelming to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make our love felt." Leo Buscaglia

Life's not about being big, it's about being bold, being brave, and being real. 
It's about believing in our own person, not keeping up with someone else's. It's about touching one person at a time, starting with ourselves. 

We all have a story, and we all impact each other. We tell our story in everything we do. Our life becomes our legacy. 

Do you know you what you want your life to say about you?

15 comments:

  1. This was a fantastic post- your sign was on TV- my sign came in the guise of your post- thank you. I have no idea what I want my life to say about me- maybe she was kind, she baked good cookies- I cant think about that right now I just have to keep on keeping on- sticking to our chosen path even though it is rocky and narrow.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. made me think of walking the walk, just living your truth. it's a big question, for sure. maybe one to think of rather than to answer.

      Delete
  2. wow. i would like my life to say that i loved big. no matter what, that i always loved big. after broken hearts, after disillusions, after many kicks in the ass... that i always loved big. because i have. and will. that and that i always brought people together. to love big.
    thank you Karina.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. love this. loving big means you are open and unguarded, able to give and receive. nothing is better than that. xx

      Delete
  3. This----"It's about believing in our own person, not keeping up with someone else's." Love that, and I've been doing my best to live it this year.

    I tell my story on my blog, for sure. I've thought about stopping it many times but in the end I come back to the fact that it is a way to document my life, big and small. I am sure my life would say something about my passion for the written word, as well.

    Lots to think about w/this post, as always :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Erin. You tell your story beautifully on your blog. Blogs are a great example of how your experiences can directly touch people. There have been so many things I have read online that have literally shifted my world and I love when that happens. I think you're right about the written word, you and books are definitely "bound" together in this life. xo

      Delete
  4. Ooo Karina, that was good. I love this. I think my life says that I have loved big and consistently. I have gone after many dreams. Some realized and some abandoned.

    I do believe that it's about being your own person. I think our individual lives are as much about what we embrace as they are about what we could care less about. I think that's ok too.

    Great post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Desi. I really like what you said, "our lives are as much about what we embrace as they are about what we could care less about. " For me, figuring out what not to focus on, not to waste time on, or simply what I don't really care about is important because it clears the field for me to focus on the things that do matter to me, instead of being pulled in too many directions. Also, we just need to be real and live without thinking about it too much. And real living isn't always going to look perfect or be inspiring or helpful or compassionate. But in the end, it will have felt authentic.

      Delete
  5. i have to admit that thinking about my legacy sort of scares me and freaks me out. is that weird? it is something we should think about and i admire you for bringing up a topic that is so deep and so thoughtful. maybe, like you said above it's best to think about than answer. xoxo-molly

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not weird. It freaks me out too, that's probably why I keep thinking about it. I guess the best thing to do is just live authentically. And love. xo

      Delete
  6. I'm so glad I discovered your blog. Yes! I think about this all the time and am still very much figuring it all out. I do think that living in the age of mass media, and now social media, adds a whole new level to this type of analysis. x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Completely agree, for better or worse. I think that the ability to share your voice and story from the far corners of the earth is incredible. But I think all of the external influences, social pressure, and the in your face opportunities to compare yourself to others really muddles our ability to know and express our real selves. Thanks Rachel for your thoughts. xo

      Delete
  7. You don't know how much I needed to read this tonight. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  8. i love this! i just shared it on face book! so much truth awesome x

    ReplyDelete