Episode 8: The Story of the Guide

If you remember the first Star Wars movie—the one from the 70s—Luke actually finds his guide: Obi-Wan Kenobi.  Later in the story, he’s left alone, but he goes in search of another guide—Yoda, anyone?

In The Hobbit, Gandalf knocks on Bilbo’s front door.

Guides are all around, and they often need to be sought out.  Sometimes, though, a guide points at you and says, “Follow me.”  And you do.  Hundreds and hundreds of stories throughout history show the different ways people realize they need guides.  People go in search of guides (like Luke Skywalker) or they stumble upon them along the way (like Christian in A Pilgrim’s Progress) or they are called out to an adventure (like Gandalf). 

All those stories share a singular thread, though:  the hope that life can be better, that we can live beyond wherever we find ourselves.

So Emma found herself looking for a better life.  As parents, we’re used to being able to translate the world for our kids.

“No, you feel fine.”

“This is exciting, right? Right?”

“That’s totally inappropriate.”

“Finish that.”

“You’ll love it.”

“That’s perfect for you.”

And so on.

But she had encountered something, something within her.

Something inside that we couldn’t possibly translate.  She was wrestling through emotions that, to be perfectly honest, I don’t remember experiencing.  As for Sunday, well, she’s decided to be Emma’s mom and not her counselor, so no Jedi mind tricks for Emma. Not from Sunday, at least.

So Emma began the search for a guide, to show her more than just the right answers.    Knowing the right answers get you a solid GPA, but it might not help much when it comes to calming your mind enough during the day to be able to sit in your desk. In Emma’s world, knowledge can only get you so far.

No, she needed someone who could teach her the proper path to take.  To ask the right questions. To be comfortable with uncomfortable emotions. To grow into the best version of Emma possible.

And so, Victoria.  I didn’t really know her name until recently—she was just ‘the counselor.’  Now, though, weeks later, we could have just as easily called her the storyteller.  She helped Emma write the story of how she wanted to live, sure, but she also helped her write about who she wanted to be.