I believe that it is through considering our own story, and the wandering threads that we trail behind us, that makes our progress and life clearer and more appreciated. What I haven’t written, I forget, and am less likely to remember. When I have recorded an event, a day, a prayer, I remember it, can re-read it, and can see (sometimes immediately, sometimes much later) what it meant, what it lead to, and how it became part of my self today. As the song says, from little things big things grow.

Now as a SAHM, I feel something profound. The mundane things I do are raw and life changing–and life creating. Small miracles, little moments with my children, learning by experiences. I allow these things to transform me daily as I create my own epic.

I have felt transformed at critical junctures, major decision-making points, but also, as you mention, I feel that I am being transformed by the day-to-day stuff of my life. After nearly 11 years of that in my mothering, I can look back and see that WOW — motherhood has changed me in significant ways, although that growth was imperceptible (and sometimes felt unreachable) in the middle of it all. There were many days where I felt that my children would be better off with someone else — someone better. But I no longer feel that way. We have learned and grown together.

It gives me hope for all I have yet to learn and experience to look back on the story I have already lived, to see that yes, indeed, I have learned line upon line. And that the Atonement really does work in changing our natures as we simply keep trying.

I love that last bit about the transformative process of caring and connection…in essence, being secondary characters in other people’s stories. I think remembering both roles is so important–the main role and the supporting cast–and we’re always doing both. I love to think of the pivotal “bit players” in my story and hope they know (and I hope I have told them) how crucial they have been.

I really loved this post.

One of amy favorite lines is:

As life goes though, we often find ourselves lost in the woods – surrounded by the unfamiliar. Do we see where we are in the story? Do we see ourselves in the pivotal action sequences of our lives. The crucial part on which the story of our mortality and humanity hangs?

I love recognizing that I am the heroine (or villain) of my own story. It releases in me the freedom to write my own story. I recognize the power in the mundane–that thoughts, decisions and actions are what make up the meat of how things turn out. That when you don’t like how your life is going, you have the power to make a change. I love realizing that the ordinary day is a gift.

“Ordinary Day – What a Treasure!” When I am having a hard day I remember this – try. And it let’s me see that nothing is unseen, unvital, un-anything!

I hide my life in my stories – but I also believe the crux is crystal clear. My husband and I took a memoir class this summer. We wrote, then we read it each week if we wished. The reading was so powerful – I hope I never forget that. That is the power in writing groups for me – and in my own writing.

Lately I blog my every day occurances. It brings me light in them – and that is what narriative, story telling does.

I think I’ve always made use of narratives in some way, but didn’t know it. I’ve tried to see certain difficult experiences as if they were part of a film and asked myself what they might represent to my story as a whole. If they are important enough to be included, what do they teach me and how do they lead me to a resolution? But maybe a resolution is not attainable in this life and I need to remember that and allow some chapters to have disappointing endings.

As far as transformative events, I feel that I must be in one right now. Ever since our last move I have struggled to define why my life has not seemed “right” and why I feel in transition. I’m not through to the other side yet, but somehow I know that I will look back on this time in my life and see things differently. I seem to know that there is something I’m learning that WILL translate to my story as a whole, but I just don’t know how to define it. I like the idea of our lives as epics and not short stories. Great post!