I've been thinking lately that the stories that we love, the ones that really resonate with us are actually roadmaps and guideposts for our lives. They first resonate with us in our childhood because there's that spark of intelligence inside us that recognizes there's something here that is true. There's something here that can guide me, there's something here of value.
I remembered this in a funny way, because I was thinking the other day of the first day of first grade, and the teacher said to us, "Draw a picture of what you want to be when you grow up."
At that time, I really loved the story, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, and I still do!
In this story, the Sorcerer has an apprentice, and the Sorcerer is teaching the Apprentice very cautiously, little by little, the art of magic.
One day the Sorcerer has to do an errand and gives the Apprentice the task to fetch water. So the Apprentice is fetching water bucket by bucket, by hand and getting really tired of it! So then the Apprentice goes to the spellbook and figures out a spell to have the broom fetch the water!
At first, the Sorcerer's apprentice is thrilled, “Oh, man, I did magic! Magic is going to do the job for me!”
The thing is, though, even after the recipient that's holding the water is full, the broom just keeps going and pretty soon there's a flood happening in the Sorcerer's place.
Fortunately, for the Apprentice, the Sorcerer comes home, and has the appropriate spell to make the broom stop fetching the water.
So on some level, it’s meant to be a cautionary tale to be careful about what you wish for, how you use your magic, don't cast spells that you're not ready for.
Of course, I didn't see it that way as a five year old when I was going to first grade. I saw it as, "Yeah, he just needs to get better at magic! "
So I drew a picture of The Sorcerer's Apprentice, and I said, "I want to be a magician when I grew up." I drew all kinds of alchemical symbols, strange equations on my drawing.
I remember explaining very earnestly to the teacher, “I'm going to be a magician, but not the kind of magician that pulls a rabbit out of the hat, a real magician.”
I think there's something so telling about that story for me, as a life map, learning how to work with energy and intent. That story has really guided me and I want to know: what stories are feeding you? What stories do you remember, from when you were a little person, that give your life meaning, movement, and direction?
I'm still very much on the path of magic and alchemy. I'm very grateful for that younger self that saw that story and recognized it as a roadmap, as a way forward.
So what stories for you pointed the way forward? And how are you living your legend? How are you living your story?