On Stories

It is all too easy nowadays to slide through life without paying attention to the things around us. We go about our daily lives, thinking about nothing save what we must do, taking in nothing. I will not say that we must stop and smell the roses, although that is true. Everyone and their kid sister talks about that. What I will discuss is something that goes much, much deeper.

We must learn to create and appreciate stories in our lives.

Ever since the dawn of civilization- perhaps even the dawn of man- human beings have related stories to one another. This has been one of the trademarks of the human race: to be able to create fictitious series of events and relate them in speech or song. Over time, stories became even more widespread, giving rise to the tales of Gilgamesh, Spartacus, and Beowulf, to name a precious few. As time progressed, and as technology progressed, stories became so prevalent that they seem to have faded from the conscious mind. Sure, we have great authors and filmmakers and songwriters, but when was the last time you consciously created a story of your own?

I thought so.

Before you protest, let me make one thing clear: there is a difference between a story and pure fancy. Are you willing to relate your thoughts, in every detail, to everyone you know? If not, then your thoughts are pure fancy.

This is what I believe to be the barest working definition of a story. Teachers will say that a story also needs direction, conflict, arc, climax, resolution, and a number of things besides. I say: not always! It depends on the needs of the story and the storyteller. A story does not need to be as complex as the works of Dostoevsky, Dickens, or Proust; nay, it can be very simple indeed.

But what constitutes a story? Anything- literally anything. All you need to do is imagine an object and a situation, and you're home free.

Let's take a pencil, for instance. A seemingly simple, bright yellow pencil with an equally bright pink eraser at one end and a shiny black graphite tip at the other. Do you see it?  Now think. Perhaps the story might come from the wood it's made of- what things might have happened in the jungle it came from? What things might have died to produce the carbon in that tip? Or maybe the story might not come from the pencil itself. For instance, who might have written with that pencil? Perhaps some great visionary, writing a speech that will be remembered for generations? If so, what about? Or maybe some rapscallion businessman, writing away millions of dollars in a swish of the pencil? If so, why?

Do you see where I'm getting at?

As I said before, a story can come from literally anywhere. Perhaps the question is simply finding inspiration. To remedy that, here is a little thought game I like to call the Relation Game.

Its premise is simple: think of an object- anything will do- and then think of something related to that object, even if only tangentially. Once you have that, think of something else related to the second object. And then a fourth, related to the third object. And so on.

E.G.: Let's start with the Crimean War.

Crimean War ==> Russia ==> Vodka ==> Vodka Myths ==> Mythbusters ==> Discovery Channel ==> Shark Week ==> Sharks ==> Sherman's Lagoon ==> ...

The idea is to be as convoluted in your relating as possible. Try it and see where you end up. I guarantee you'll be surprised.

If that doesn't work, try this: take any piece of music, with words or without, and sit down and listen to it. I mean really listen to it. Listen to every chord, every note, every syllable. When you're done, listen to it again. And again. And again.

When you've finished with that, do some thinking. Why did the composer write that piece of music? What story was he trying to convey? Why did that singer choose those words to convey this message? What story was he trying to convey?

But here is the ultimate question: why bother? Why bother coming up with stories? Why bother taking the time to think of things that will never happen?

Well, why not? What harm will it do? If nothing else, at least it provides a little entertainment in the endless drag that is life.