How would you begin the story of you? Where or when does it begin? Imagine that you are about to tell your story. You know, “Once upon a time there was this person, and her story begins…”? What comes next?
All stories have beginnings, and all people have stories. All families and nations have them too. In fact, not only do we all have them, they may be the essence of who we are. So how would you choose to begin yours? Once you have an answer (and feel free to have a different answer tomorrow), consider why you began that way.? It’s like looking in one of the most interesting mirrors in the world.
It’s amazing how many things, both past and present, fall into place when we try understanding them through our own stories, and especially through whatever information we put in our first chapters.
Don’t be surprised by the power of what you learn, and the beauty of who you meet.
Of course, this is a story, so you aren’t bound by any one set of facts, or really any facts at all. It’s about how you choose to tell the story of you, or of your family, or of your community, etc. Others may not tell your story in the same way, but that’s fine – that’s their story, even if it involves you, and it need not be yours.
Of course, if you want to better understand someone else, including your relationship with them, then their story of you is pretty important, also! Just as your choices are a wonderful way to help you understand yourself, their choices of how to narrate that story will help you understand them (and how they see you). And presumably you want not only to be understood, but also to be understanding, right?
However you begin the story of you, ask yourself how you honor or celebrate that genesis narrative. Are there heroes in the story that you want to remember? Is there a special place without which the story could not have unfolded? If it’s a good place, how do you stay connected to it? If it’s a darker place, how do you memorialize your having passed through it?
Noticing and honoring the details will reintroduce you to yourself, and often, help you better understand your life and where you want to take it. This exercise highlights the values that are central to you, and guides you toward living those values as fully and meaningfully as possible.
Think it over: How do you tell the story of you?? Try telling it, and don’t be surprised by the power of what you learn, and the beauty of who you meet.
Listed for many years in Newsweek as one of America’s “50 Most Influential Rabbis” and recognized as one of our nation’s leading “Preachers and Teachers,” by Beliefnet.com, Rabbi Brad Hirschfield serves as the President of Clal–The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, a training institute, think tank, and resource center nurturing religious and intellectual pluralism within the Jewish community, and the wider world, preparing people to meet the biggest challenges we face in our increasingly polarized world.
An ordained Orthodox rabbi who studied for his PhD and taught at The Jewish Theological Seminary, he has also taught the University of Pennsylvania, where he directs an ongoing seminar, and American Jewish University. Rabbi Brad regularly teaches and consults for the US Army and United States Department of Defense, religious organizations — Jewish and Christian — including United Seminary (Methodist), Yeshivat Chovevei Torah (Modern Orthodox) Luther Seminary (Lutheran), and The Jewish Theological Seminary (Conservative) — civic organizations including No Labels, Odyssey Impact, and The Aspen Institute, numerous Jewish Federations, and a variety of communal and family foundations.
Hirschfield is the author and editor of numerous books, including You Don’t Have To Be Wrong For Me To Be Right: Finding Faith Without Fanaticism, writes a column for Religion News Service, and appears regularly on TV and radio in outlets ranging from The Washington Post to Fox News Channel. He is also the founder of the Stand and See Fellowship, which brings hundreds of Christian religious leaders to Israel, preparing them to address the increasing polarization around Middle East issues — and really all currently polarizing issues at home and abroad — with six words, “It’s more complicated than we know.”