Storytelling is an incredible and valuable art form. We learn about our past. We get transported to other places allowing us to learn about various cultures. Sometimes the story is simply about love and romance. We dream and imagine our future as storytelling introduces us to the many possibilities. The world truly is our oyster. As Shakespeare wrote in The Merry Wives of Windsor “Hiding inside the oyster is a pearl, just sitting there waiting to be taken by you.” Whether you listen to family stories, read a novel, listen to podcast or follow a blog the art of storytelling is truly wonderful for the imagination, heart and soul.
Creating a narrative has become a very important strategy for successful social media pages. Many believe it is the ticket for a successful Instagram page. Influencers create narratives. I imagine that is true. For me creating a writing narrative is my want. I hope to draw the reader into my world even if it is for a brief number of paragraphs.
As I ran early this morning, I began to think about the concept of what it means to create a narrative in a more expanded way. Just like science, my watch, my Garmin doesn’t lie. I can tell myself that I am running an eight-minute training pace, but the reality my reality is much different. I may have done that and better years ago but not now. If I don’t wear my Garmin, I don’t have to face my running pace reality. Blissful albeit delusional. Who am I hurting with my hopeful narrative? No one really and not even myself since what is important at this time is that I get out the door 6 days a week and run. My health and not my speed is my narrative now.
Not all narratives are harmless. In fact, some are downright dangerous. Trump reopening the country, not extending the stay at home policy was nothing more than his want to hold his campaign town hall meetings again. Self-serving and not governing the people. Disbanding the COVID Advisory Committee at the end of this month is his desire to create a false and selfish narrative that the public health crisis is over. The virus is gone. We are safe to return to business as usual just wash our hands. The virus is not gone, the death toll is climbing once again, and it will continue to do so as this administration has done nothing to protect the American people. I am not sure when the line was crossed that reacting to a public health crisis was an infringement on our freedom? It is not an infringement but instead a measure for the health and safe keeping of Americans.
Yes, we do need to get our economy going but in what way and at what cost? Careful planning and consideration must be the priority and I believe for many Governors that is exactly the plan. Working towards safely getting our children back to school is also critical. Does anyone need to go to Disney or a mall right now? The Gap? We are jeopardizing our workers and our fellow citizens for what? So, we can shop? Get a massage? We are being told we must accept that Americans must be willing to sacrifice their lives for the greater good. We are simply setting ourselves back by reopening too soon and too quickly. Deadly consequences.
I don’t know about you but that is not the plan I support nor am I ready to give up my life for a person who thinks only of his own agenda with no regard for the welfare of the American people. His narrative is all about him, his power and only portends to care about you and me. I have yet to hear him extend sincere sympathies to the families of the many Americans that have lost their life due to the corona virus. Trump’s narrative is to shift the blame, point fingers at others and never take responsibility for his actions. Promoting his self-importance is paramount. Deflection is not respectable and certainly not presidential.
I would rather not have my last thought of the day or first thought of the morning be a fearful reaction to the ideas and actions of the current administration. I would much rather be concentrating my efforts on my work, my son’s upcoming wedding and the excitement of my daughter and son in law’s first child being born this September. Instead, my son and his fiancé have had to cancel their wedding, my son-in-law is on the front line risking his life daily in a hospital emergency room while my daughter worries about the health of her first pregnancy. Every house has a story, a narrative and far too many tragic narratives are being told right now…
November 3, 2020 cannot come soon enough as we must change the current political narrative…our lives and livelihoods depend on it. Follow the science…
