Growing up in a small property in Washington, I spent a lot of my time in nature, bike navigation, hiking, jar rocks in the river, and making forts out of hunger needles. But I was always keenly moved by good stories including movies that told a without reservation good story. When I was about six years senescent I scrutinize the book " The Neverending Story, " by Michael Ende, and my life was forever changed. I in truth believed that I was Bastian, ( the protogonist of the story ) and that I was further Atreyu ( besides the protagonist ), the Warrior on a quest to save the Princess, the princess was also very real to me, I felt female represented a part of me, my truest nature. So you see, all of these characters were not just ' characters, ' they were alive, and real! They spoke to me as a six year old and changed my life! I felt that this was " my story, " that I had to learn to stand up for what I believed in! It did not matter that the protagonists were male, and that I am female, I connected to them on a subconscious and conscious level. Deep in my psyche, I believed this was MY journey.
I grew up with parents that meant well, but through the years and time spent together, trying to raise a family, they grew more and more distant and could not get along. In the end, their relationship imploded - - meaning the relationship collapsed inward in a pretty violent manner emotionally. And no one came out of it unscathed. In 1992 - we moved to Southern California, my parents divorced and I was again flung into a new school, with new people and having no friends. The last five years had been a complete nightmare, and I didn ' t know what to believe anymore. I was lost, scared, alone and pretty angry going into my teen years. Again, I turned to this story to help me move onward.
I don ' t really know how I made it through those years, but I never forgot how much that story meant to me. I would watch the movie over and over again, realizing that in the end it was about sheer determination and will to survive and to reach the " castle, " the Princess. Metaphorically this was my highest potential, to rule over my own life and my own thoughts, without letting the world, or the negativity around me, get me down for too long. The " Neverending Story " reminded me to keep the faith, let go of doubt and fear; be brave and to remember that the heart and soul ' s quest has ' no boundaries ' just as Fantasia had no boundaries! I could still dream and with the right help, I would reach my goals! I could chose a new path, I could make my ' fantasies ' a reality by grounding them in truth, love and passion for helping mankind.
Living now in the " Information / Technology " age where computers, and gadgets have taken over our everyday life, I want to make one recommendation, DO NOT EVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF STORY! Stories like " The Neverending Story, " saved me from complete denial of life and of the " self. " There are many stories that affected me as a child and still affect me, this is just one, but it was so powerful because of it ' s metaphor and meaning. I am forever grateful to writers and ' dreamers ' for sharing their talents with the world.
