A series of load-bearing errors ([info]ewtikins) wrote,
@ 2008-04-20 11:35:00
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Bring what you can, take what you need...
This is an experiment.

What stories, true or mythological, personal or public, inspire you to live better? What narratives make you glad to be alive or reinforce your beliefs about the way the world works?

In your dark hours, what do you turn to for comfort, for reassurance, for the courage you need to keep going or the wisdom to change your path?

In your joyful hours, what do you do to celebrate being alive, being part of the universe/creation?

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[info]devvie
2008-04-20 12:56 pm UTC (link)
I think my parents inspire me to be a better person. They were always secretly giving things away to poor families in the neighborhood and have always been so kind to people.

In my dark hours I think I turns to my faith for comfort.

As for joy I try to find it everywhere, even in the blossoming of a flower, lovely architecture, laughter from people I don't know, or a kindness done. Those kinds of things always lift my heart and make me feel like this is a pretty good world to live in.

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[info]redcountess
2008-04-20 02:01 pm UTC (link)
Basically Jesus's "Love one another as I have loved you", which was brilliantly paraphrased in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure as "Be excellent to each other".

In dark hours I often recall Scarlett O'Hara's "Tomorrow is another day".

In joyful hours I'll often listen to boppy music :)

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[info]alextiefling
2008-04-20 10:02 pm UTC (link)
I endorse both versions of the first piece of advice, and the sources from which they are drawn!

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[info]redcountess
2008-04-20 10:05 pm UTC (link)
As I've said elsewhere I have issues with Jesus being son of God (and there being a God), however I embrace many of the lessons ascribed to him :)

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[info]alextiefling
2008-04-20 10:18 pm UTC (link)
There's plenty of problems with most, if not all, concepts of God. I think your position seems eminently reasonable!

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[info]esmeraldus_neo
2008-04-20 03:00 pm UTC (link)

What stories, true or mythological, personal or public, inspire you to live better? What narratives make you glad to be alive or reinforce your beliefs about the way the world works?

In your dark hours, what do you turn to for comfort, for reassurance, for the courage you need to keep going or the wisdom to change your path?


Buffy...the self-sacrifice and courage are the things that do it for me.

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[info]keira_online
2008-04-20 06:05 pm UTC (link)
I find Terry Pratchett has something for nearly every eventuallity.

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[info]yaqub
2008-04-20 06:51 pm UTC (link)
The Havamal tends to have a few good quotes that help me along. They have a lot of my philosophies worded nicely.

For my dark and happy hours, I turn to my gods and godesses. Sometimes in a very quiet whisper, sometimes in joyful song.

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[info]purplekaz
2008-04-22 08:32 pm UTC (link)
Nothing. Nothing works for me any more.

Except for maybe Winnie the Pooh. No, I'm not taking the piss. All the stories seem to have certain lessons behind them.

For example, there's a story (can't remember which one) where Pooh and the gang get lost in the Hundred Acre Wood, and they keep looking for home but just end up in the wood again. So they decide to look for the Hundred Acre Wood instead, and end up at home!

This may sound stupid at first, until I say that I'm rubbish at following maps and often get lost. I'm often sure I'm going the right way and it turns out to be wrong. So recently, there have been several occasions where I've deliberately gone down the wrong road and ended up in the right direction anyway.

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[info]raptelan
2008-04-23 06:56 am UTC (link)
Gosh, I have a whole pile of personal stories. None that can be told quickly though.

In my dark hours, umm, it's just pretty dark for a while. What usually saves me is distraction - something else comes along that coerces enough attention that I focus on that instead.

I don't seek reassurance as I don't feel a need for it. Wisdom, well...I try to think out hard decisions and will develop a good understanding of the situation, and then can't make up my mind. So ultimately I go with whatever my first notion was, which is usually the more stubborn or ballsy approach. :P

I have two types of joyful hours - those in which I wake up and everything around me is extra beautiful and detailed and happy and everything just clicks and goes well for no apparent reason. I'm generally quite creative and productive on such days. The second are those in which things are not going well but I choose to enjoy the chaos and/or dark aspects rather than feeling bad about whatever's going on.

Weird answer I know. I'm a loon :P

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[info]raptelan
2008-04-23 06:59 am UTC (link)
Sometimes the universe helps out and throws something nice at me too during dark hours.

Indeed it was that an Ewt found my journal some years back and started writing nice comments. :-D

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[info]raptelan
2008-04-23 07:10 am UTC (link)
Hmm, "distractions" is actually a terrible word.

Something new to put hope into is much more accurate. When something I care about fails or is taken away, I'll become terribly depressed and annoyed until finding something new to work on. :P

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