Story Arcs

What might a movie about our lives look like?

The thought struck me yesterday as I walked from work to my light-rail station stop. At an intersection, I noticed a trio of teenagers on the opposite side of the street. In the late afternoon sun, one of them had a look of impatience on their face as they waited for the light to change. Perhaps I felt the same emotion--I suddenly felt curiosity about their life, where they came from, where they wanted to go, what lay in store for them in the future--their entire story arc.

The thought stayed with me after passing them and on the journey home--all of the people around me have stories to tell, and stories yet to tell.

I feel the same curiosity when I compare the experiences of my co-workers to my own--where we lived geographically, where we were in our lives. It reminds me of the time I overheard a high-school student wonder aloud where their as-yet-unmet future spouse was, and what he was doing. It's the same thing.

Stepping back from my own life and looking at the big picture helps me evaluate whether I'm where I want to be, and if not, the ability to think about how to get to where I want to be. Looking at others' lives in the same way helps me feel compassion for the burdens that everyone else shoulders.