Thursday, June 12, 2014

Answer it

"Answer what?"
That's probably what you're thinking.
The call. That's the answer. Answer the call.
Q: Are you the one in your household who answers the phone most often? Do you practically bound toward the phone? What if someone was calling you on the most important mission, or, for some, missions, of your life? Would you answer?
Q: Have you ever heard of the Hero Cycle? If you haven't, the Hero Cycle is the cycle of a hero's journey. It goes something like this:



This is the Hero Cycle. The basis of almost any book.
We're each all called to our own journey. In fact, some people can find where they are on the chart in life. I can't do that, I mean I could but...anyway, this is the route of the hero (or heroine).


1) Ordinary World - Whenever you start a book or a series, you meet the hero dealing with or living their normal life. We get a taste for their lifestyle and likes/dislikes.
2) Call to Adventure - Next, the soon-to-be hero is called to adventure or in other words, they receive their call.
3) Refusal of the Call - This is the part where the hero refuses to go or accept their role. Example: Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit; Bilbo had no desire whatsoever to leave his comfortable life in the shire.
4) Meeting the Mentor - Examples: Luke Skywalker and Yoda, Harry Potter and Dumbledore, Bilbo and Gandalf, Percy Jackson and Chiron, etc.
5) Crossing the Threshold - Where the journey begins.
6) Tests, Allies and Enemies - All stories need these things to make a successful and realistic story.
7) Approach - Where the setbacks are introduced.
8) Ordeal, Death and Rebirth -
9) Reward, Seizing the Sword -
10) The Road Back
11) Resurrection -
12) Return with Elixir - The afterwards/the journey home.

So, as you can see I tried to explain all the steps in the hero cycle. ...Yeah, not the best. But then again, the names of each step aren't very  clear. Anyway, I found a great PDF on the Hero Cycle as it applies to Finding Nemo.1 It's pretty good.

Everyone has their own story. Everyone has and can get their own 'happily ever after' as you might say. 
Also, your call could be a super big thing or it could be small things. And really, you've probably already gotten numerous calls; whether or not you answered, that's a different matter.

Quick recap, everyone has their own journey and everyone goes through the Hero Cycle; like I said, you're probably in one of the stages right now. And always remember, you and everyone else can have a 'happily ever after.'
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P.S. The Hero Cycle diagram I used was one of the simplest ones I could find; there are loads more, some with additional stages.

 1 http://www.fornstrom.tjcomputermagnet.com/Lessons/SWE2/FindingNemoStages.pdf

A great article to read about our stories and "happily ever afters" is Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk, Your Happily Ever After. (In his address he's talking pacifically to young women but it applies to everyone.)








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