My Life as a Story

Does anyone remember those old Wally McDoogle books? The ones where the title is always, "My Life As A ...?" I enjoyed those books growing up. I read them all, unless they made new ones since I grew out of them.

I can't remember why I liked those books.

I can take some guesses though. Maybe it was the fact that the main character was kind of a klutzy geek-ish type person. Maybe it was because of the side stories that the main character wrote about with superheroes and villains with funny names. Maybe they were just overall good stories that, as a kid, I could enjoy.

Have you ever wondered what your own autobiography would look like? I have, at times, mostly before I doze off to sleep or lose track of time in the shower. I wonder what the title would be or what the book genre would be. Will it be made into a movie?

After thinking about the loads of money I will make, and fame I will gain from the movie, it hits me that my life would not make a very good movie, or a good book for that matter. I accept that, I mean, there's no hiding from it, not all people can have a movie made after them. Some people just don't have the movie type of life.

I had to make a video this year for class that describe my life in three minutes. Of course, I couldn't think of anything.

I'd rather make up something about my life. How I saved a drowning boy in a raging river or once serenaded a group of girls with a trumpet and a vuvuzela. That would be a fun story.

I ended up making a movie that repeated the same shots over and over again for three minutes because my life, in general, is consistent. Not that there is anything wrong with consistency but, ya know, who wouldn't enjoy a little spontaneity once in awhile?

I want my life to be movie/book worthy.

So now I sit and think back to Wally McDoogle; the boy who you never saw coming, saving the town from imminent destruction. These books, from what I recall, always pushed the story into Wally. For some reason, Wally was just in the wrong place at the wrong time or one decision led to another decision which in turn led to the book. At the biggest moments, Wally chose to put himself into harms way or he was forced too even though he didn't want too.

Life seems to always come with emergency escapes, but never with Wally.

I think this is the hardest part about living a better story. Forcing yourself into the story. Doing something that is not necessarily scary, but rather something that you're not comfortable with. Stepping into this fear could lead to a good story, or it could lead to total embarrassment. Is it worth the risk? Probably, but I tend to lean on the side of conserving my self-esteem and don't engage this risk. This, I understand, is probably the downfall as to why my life isn't move/book worthy.

I have people around me to encourage me to step into this fear but it's much more than that. It encompasses the whole body. Emotionally, physically, spiritually, and mentally. I'm not sure where to start, what to say, what to do, or even what I want, who I am, and what do I want to be.

Maybe that's a start.