Some stories are never ending. Some stories are never told. Most are both. I often wondered what makes someone want to tell their story. What makes a person not want to? I once thought I had no story to tell. There was no stand out moments that would compel a reader to turn the page. There was no cliff hanger. No romantic storyline that would span decades. It was a series of stops and starts with no clear destination.
Even when I thought I was blazing a new trail, I wasn’t. I was following a road map that had all the important stops underlined. If anyone ever wanted to rent a convertible and drive “The Road to Hana” you understand my perspective. For those that don’t, let me explain.
The “Road to Hana” was once this beautiful experience in Hawaii. I suspect when the islands first became a tourist destination, it was an adventure. Can you imagine driving the island on a two-lane road, a witness to all its wonders? It was uncharted. It was remarkable. It was alive.
Then someone wrote about it. Then it became part of every guide book. It was a can’t miss destination on a Hawaii vacation. The “Road to Hana” was exposed. Not only did it have to be driven, it had to be driven in a convertible so every moment was visceral.
What happened next was no surprise. If you attempted the infamous journey, what once was a scenic wonder became clogged with cars (i.e. convertibles), smog and tourist traps. It was so traveled it became a shadow of its former self. The experience was lost and cluttered with other grumpy travels looking for the same thing. The experience they were promised.
As I write this, I can’t remember if I ever drove that road or attempted to. That is a theme of the stories we all weave over time. They fade away never establishing a clear direction. We follow others down a road searching for “our personal” experience. The twist comes when there is no unique experience. Every experience is tainted with over exposure. The human and the spiritual experience are two sides of the same coin, worn down by too many hands touching them.
Everyone is looking for their defining moment, a story worth telling. A legacy that promises something. A roadmap to follow laying out a journey that can never be experienced again. Stories are strung together by a compilation of moments. Which moments are for us and which moments are for others?
Perhaps we tell the wrong story. Perhaps we tell the wrong moments of the story. Perhaps some stories are best not told at all, allowing someone else to stumble into them. That is the greatest legacy we can leave someone. The freedom to find it themselves.