Humans have stories. They are what we pass along from one generation to the next. They are how we understand the world. Stories enable us to empathize with characters, and make connections to the world, to ourselves, to each other. Even religions are rife with stories, whether they be real or mythical, that is up to you to decide. Therefore, I am amending the comment in my last post (the one at the end where I called myself pathetic). I have taught stories in literature to all grades, as well as non-fiction – memoirs, history, etc. I have also taught writing at all grade levels and even to adults in writing groups. It isn’t possible to write without reading, or at least, listening to and/or watching stories – real or imagined. Why would I have thought, then, it was pathetic that I was relating so deeply to these television shows I was watching? It isn’t.
The pathetic part was about me delving so deeply into watching about everyone else’s life instead of getting my lazy butt off the couch and creating my own stories. The truth is, not being particularly mobile has sunk me into a depression of sorts, and it’s just easier to watch than it is to do at the moment. Watching these stories is purely a distraction for me. Sometimes, it’s difficult to fully engage in my life when I am so limited in movement. I do things like meditate, study, write, read, and so on, but there are times when I just don’t want to put in the extra effort it takes to go anywhere, times when the pain continues to remind me of my limitations, and I’d just rather sink myself into someone else’s stories, without the concentration and focus of reading. Watching the TV or computer screen is a total immersion, although I suppose it would be even better if I had an Oculus (virtual reality machine), but then I might never emerge and lose myself completely. In any case, even if I were fully mobile, and busy with life, I’d still escape into these stories – but not nearly as much.
