The Emotion of Story

Do you struggle with telling captivating, heartfelt stories? Perhaps reading another writer’s struggle will give you hope that you’re not alone.

Excerpted from my purple Poppin “Anything Goes” journal on November 16, 2016

The Desire for Catharsis

What is it within me that so longs to affect others with such overwhelming emotion within the telling of a story? Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Phantom of the Opera (musical), even the Peanuts movie that came out a year or so ago—when I think of heart-felt, deep emotional storytelling, these are some of the cream of the crop that come to mind.

Part of it has to do with the overwhelming emotion not just of the stories themselves but the music and songs that accompany them. The combination of both is so emotionally charged that it pulls you in like a magnet, and you can’t help but consent to its hold upon you.

Why is it I feel I must find a way to tell stories like these of my own, and why, at the same time, do I likewise feel that such a feat is impossible for the likes of me? Am I not human? Do I not feel—and even feed upon—raw human emotion? Am I not therefore then capable of conveying such powerful emotion in others through whatever means—and media—necessary?

I feel I must go back and review the lessons of the previous entry about fear. I also feel like a habitual failure who is always having to go back and do his first works over again (Rev. 2:5). So be it!

Fail Until You Succeed

Except a corn of wheat fall to the ground and die, it cannot bear fruit (John 12:24). I must die to myself, my fears, my failures, and dive head-first into the unknown; or else, it will not be discovered.

This pattern is a vicious circle, constantly repeating itself; yet, why have I not come to expect it and therefore be prepared enough to conquer it? Must I always be in the bondage of feeling that I must prove my own worth to others and therefore myself? I am only in bondage to what I yield my members to obey (Rom. 6:16).

Am I obeying my God-given yearning and passion to bring emotional joy and connection to others through my gifts and talents, or am I yielding to fear, doubt dread, and worry?

A decision must be made. I cannot serve them all (Matt. 6:24).

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