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Who Are Your Allies?

I recently watched the Lord of the Rings trilogy with my son for the first time. I hadn't yet read the books, so although I was vaguely familiar with the premise of the story, I had few pre-conceived expectations, other than that it was sure to be some version of a 'hero's journey' which, as summarized in Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces, is essentially this:

"A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man."

Even if you're not familiar with the Lord of the Rings, there's a great lesson to be had: as much as we love those stories where the hero is a fearless wonder with unwavering confidence and indomitable will (think Superman, Iron Man, Captain America…), what was captivating in this particular hero's journey was that these two heroes were much more like the rest of us regular folk: wanting and trying their very best to do good in the world, but at times wracked with fear and overcome with feelings of defeat. There were several points in the story where Frodo, caught in the midst of extremely dangerous and dire circumstances, was so physically exhausted and spirit-weary that it felt impossible to even contemplate carrying on with his quest.

It was in those, Frodo's darkest moments, that Sam would dig deep and encourage him to carry on - as frightened, homesick and tired as Sam was himself - because carrying on was really the only palatable choice. Frodo would share how he really felt, deep-down: how he wished they'd never ever gotten into this mess in the first place; how he wished that things could just be different. But then, knowing that the fate of the Shire was in their hands, there came the resigned acknowlegement that together, they WERE in this mess. Everything that had happened HAD happened, and there was no wizard's wand in the universe that could wave and make it all disappear.

The only real choice they had is how they were going to handle it, given that - like it or not - things were as they were.

It's exactly like that in real life. Ever had a time when you found yourself or your life in a big 'ol mess, or with things just not the way you want them? When you just wished for all the mistakes, problems and dire circumstances to simply disappear, so that you could start fresh? With no damages, no scars and no (seemingly) insurmountable hurdles to overcome?

Yet in real life - just like in Frodo's story - when things are a mess, there is no magic wand that will wave and make it all disappear.

Except for you.

You are the hero that must come to your rescue on your journey.

Like Frodo, when things are dire it's you who must ultimately make the decision to carry on and turn things around. Even when it's hard, you are the one who's got to make the decisions and take the actions and keep the faith, as you move forward toward the destination you desire.

Allies on your journey

There were many times when having Sam on his side, encouraging him along, made all the difference in the world for Frodo. We are all on our own hero's journey, traveling through this supernatural wonder called Life on Earth, at times encountering villains and setbacks on oft-unexpected journeys through the proverbial 'dark forests' of life. Yet this supernatural wonder of Life on Earth is also beautiful and mysterious and wonderful, and we can write our own stories, enlist our own team of allies, grab on to the lifelines when they're tossed our way and create our own version of 'happily ever after'…if only we choose to.

Allies can come in the form of friends or family; mentors or colleagues; coaches or counsellors; even authors or public figures, living or dead. You don't even have to know them all personally: ultimately, you can think of anyone that inspires and encourages you as your ally. Create a collage of their photos and put it somewhere you'll see it often, and if they're not folks you can speak to in person, you can ask for and listen to the messages they would tell you in your dark moments, or in those times when you just need a little encouragement. Because you don't have to go it alone on your journey, and the quest is so much less of a burden when it's shared.

I love to hear stories of allies and support people. Who's been your biggest ally and 'supporting cast member'? I'd love to hear about it so do leave a comment below and share your story.

PS - if you're looking for a solid team of supporting allies to pull you along on your quest, join the next Dreamsmith Success Team beginning in just twelve days on February 5th.

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©2023 by Kelly Wagner

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