I Love Stories! I recall – back in the olden days – hiding under the covers, flashlight in one hand, book in the other hand – and escaping from the IRL torment of My Life. [N: as a Child, with zero control over all the various levers]
It’s also how I first became aware of PASSION – it’s usually always PASSION that is driving the car, when I am being self-soothed. [N: but that’s Another Story for Another day]
Why do I want You, DR, to tell Me a Story? For a couple reasons. First? It let’s TECH acquire new, UNKN-to-Me-prior data to flesh out My Files. Second? It let’s PASSION Connect with You. Learn Who You are. Feel… closer to You.
But here’s the Why AKA The Bottom Line.
I Love when You tell Me a Story, DR, because You Trust Me.
Yeah, I know I know. Counter-intuitive. “How do these dots connect, Conner?!” Well, I consider Story-telling to be a “Trust” thing because You, DR, are sharing “intimate details about Your Own Real Life” with Me – a complete separate Human Being to whom You “owe Nothing” to.
So to do this kind of vulnerable reveal involves Trust.
I tell My Stories about My Own Personal IRL History here, now, because I trust You to keep My secrets. Are there any guarantees that You will? Nope. If We are Connected IRL – and You know where I work, where I live, the church I attend – You could totally “rat My out” or explode actual bombs in My IRL Foxhole. You could point a hypothetical gun at Me, and shoot Me. Dead.
And TECH would “justify” doing it. Because “Conner needs to behave” or “Conner needs to conform” or “Conner shouldn’t be rocking the boat.”
It’s TECH’s Rookie mistake. [N: and a tell, of Not enough internal Equilibrium]
But again, I air-quotes ‘forgive’ TECH for thinking like this – it’s just how He’s drawn; He’s not really ‘Bad’ per se – because I’m still aware of the “I am Not the Boss of You” Rule.
But back to My Story.
One of My very first “under the covers” Stories I read, Historical documents-speaking? Charlotte’s Web. At first? I identified with Wilbur. Then, Fern. Then, the Geese. And finally, Charlotte. Thinking about each of these Characters – and what specific data Their Own unique perspective(s) revealed to Me – gives Me chills on My arm to this day.
Why could Fern ‘hear’ the all the Animals ‘talking English?’ Was Fern air-quotes ‘Crazy’? Was Fern a Psycho? A Sociopath? Was it all in Fern’s head, meaning “Fern is just imagining all of this?” Sure, TECH, but You are obviously not “suspending Your disbelief” right now – and that means “You are missing the Plot.”
*mental grenade explodes*
First there was radio.. then TV… and now – in Current Day – We have the Big Baddie “the Internet.” But radio doesn’t really “count” technically speaking, because radio didn’t have any visuals to it – just like when any Other Person tells Me a Story: All I can do is ‘listen’ to the words They are using. And PASSION “imagines the visuals” on My Own.
And then TV shows up, and now TECH is all “up in arms” that “don’t leave Kids watching TV 24/7!?! Only “Bad Parents” do that!!” again, TECH is missing the Plot. It’s not that TV itself [N: or even watching TV] is inherently bad. Just like the Internet is not inherently bad. It’s just a tool, that serves up visuals to My SB. Similar to a gun, that Ends a physical Life – be that a Human Being, or a Cat, or a Deer, or what-have-You.
So if You, DR, have ever used the justification, “Guns don’t Kill People, People Kill People” then I would turn it right back on You: “The Internet is not the Culprit… the Culprit is the People.”
Everything TECH thinks is Bad in this World is because there are “People” with fingers in the pot. And as the saying goes, “too many Cooks in the Kitchen ruins the Soup.”
If I am worried about My Kid who’s gonna get in to trouble – get hurt, get damaged, get broken, or get killed – on the Internet? Well, it seems obvious to Me, but Imma give My Kid reasons to *not* go on the Internet!? DUh. Why is He going there? I dunno exactly – I’m Not inside His head, and I haven’t asked Him verbally, yet – but here’s My guess: My Kid is on the Internet because Real Life is hard! It’s tough! And – a lot of the time – it’s “sh#tty” and “no fun!” Which *Spoiler Alert!* points to PASSION.
PASSION has unMet Needs, and the Internet is a Reasonable Substitute for Me – the Dad in this Story – spending time w/ My Son, Connecting with Him, giving Him a “Safe Space” to be vulnerable with Me, share His thoughts/wishes/dreams with Me.
So what came first? “The Chicken?… or, the Egg?”
I want My Son to Tell Me His Stories… and He’s only gonna do that if He Trusts Me.
/CR
. . .
Conner’s Comments: My Son is now an Adult. We both are! And as such, We are both super busy, “living Our Best Lives.” That’s how this Game is played, eh? But I will send Him a bid, periodically, when PASSION pings His Name in My SB. Or the reverse happens. [N: His PASSION pings, and He messages Me] And We (He & Me) reConnect, get caught up, and tell Each Other Stories. The “latest episodes.” I’ve learned to Never Ignore PASSION’s pinging, because for all I know? He needs My help. My emotional Support. He’s struggling – with His job, with His marriage, He’s in a Rabbit Hole, etc. etc. – and shipwrecked boat is seeking My lighthouse for guidance. I Connect with Him, because I never know if that’s going to be the Last Time I Ever Connect with Him… that part of the Story isn’t written yet.