His daughter was processing her life through that story including all the sibling rivalry, not to mention the fear and attraction to a father. She was trying to be the pig who was strong enough, and responsible enough and protected enough to live in that sturdy house of bricks. Her life was in so much flux and movement that the story had to remain still in order for her to move through it and process her life. We live by stories, all of us do. Not so much by creeds or principles, but by stories.
Stories shape our lives, give our lives meaning, direction, energy, inspiration.
When I visit older folks, so often they become most alive when their lips tell me stories from their past, stories that, knowingly or unknowingly, reveal to me something about who they really are. In our time, it is probably true to say that the stories that most occupy us, and may most influence us, are the stories that come to us through the media, particularly television. These are the stories of our culture. They tell us who we are and what we are to value. This week I read an article where one journalist referred to television news programs and soap operas, the sporting events and situation comedies as 'the default catechism' for our children.