Monday, November 14, 2005
Tracing a Path
On the Day of the Dead, I wrote about the Heroes portion of the altar I assemble each year. One of my heroes was Joseph Campbell. Curiously enough, he set me on a path that changed my life for more than ten years.
In 1987, several months before Campbell died, I found the LA Times Life and Style section on the bus during my morning commute. There was an article about Campbell, whom I had never heard of before. By the end of the article, I was fascinated by his life and determined to see the documentary about his life that was going to debut that night.
When I got to work, I called my boyfriend and read him excerpts from the article. He agreed that we had to attend the screening. We were just starting out in our careers and money was very tight, so Jim forged student IDs from a local art school so we could get the more affordable student admission to the documentary.
The documentary was amazing and I was utterly entranced by Campbell, his ideas, his personality and his work. Many of his insights about the nature of religion were ideas I had pondered and it was the first time I had ever heard anyone express concepts that had certainly never been discussed in the Catholic churches of my youth. I wanted to learn more about Campbell's work and his life.
After the film, Jim and I wandered out into the lobby. There were hors d'oeuvres and wine and we nibbled a bit and surveyed the crowd. I went to get a few more strawberries, but when I got back to our spot, Jim was gone. I looked around for him, but he was nowhere to be found.
I went back into the auditorium where I saw Jim deep in conversation with Joseph Campbell and two other people. I sat next to Dr. Campbell and when I got a chance to interject, I told him that it was an honor to meet him and his life's work was impressive and thought provoking. "Oh, aren't you sweet," he said with a smile, and patted my knee.
I avidly watched "The Power of Myth" on PBS and read "Hero with a Thousand Faces" and the volumes of "The Masks of God". I gave copies of "The Power of Myth" to friends and in 1991 I took an extension class at UCLA on myth and literature inspired by Campbell's writings. There I met the young journalist who was to become my (now ex) husband. So I tell people that meeting Joseph Campbell literally changed my life.
The reason I am recounting this anecdote is to illustrate that life changing possibilities exist everywhere and every day. A chance find of a newspaper on a bus-- what could be more ordinary than that? Yet picking up that newspaper (and acting on the impulse it inspired-- a very important point to remember!) led my life on an entirely different path.
Was it fate? Was it meant to be? I don't know and I don't expect to ever know. But now I pay very close attention to what comes into my life and when the impulse is strong enough, I always follow it.
In 1987, several months before Campbell died, I found the LA Times Life and Style section on the bus during my morning commute. There was an article about Campbell, whom I had never heard of before. By the end of the article, I was fascinated by his life and determined to see the documentary about his life that was going to debut that night.
When I got to work, I called my boyfriend and read him excerpts from the article. He agreed that we had to attend the screening. We were just starting out in our careers and money was very tight, so Jim forged student IDs from a local art school so we could get the more affordable student admission to the documentary.
The documentary was amazing and I was utterly entranced by Campbell, his ideas, his personality and his work. Many of his insights about the nature of religion were ideas I had pondered and it was the first time I had ever heard anyone express concepts that had certainly never been discussed in the Catholic churches of my youth. I wanted to learn more about Campbell's work and his life.
After the film, Jim and I wandered out into the lobby. There were hors d'oeuvres and wine and we nibbled a bit and surveyed the crowd. I went to get a few more strawberries, but when I got back to our spot, Jim was gone. I looked around for him, but he was nowhere to be found.
I went back into the auditorium where I saw Jim deep in conversation with Joseph Campbell and two other people. I sat next to Dr. Campbell and when I got a chance to interject, I told him that it was an honor to meet him and his life's work was impressive and thought provoking. "Oh, aren't you sweet," he said with a smile, and patted my knee.
I avidly watched "The Power of Myth" on PBS and read "Hero with a Thousand Faces" and the volumes of "The Masks of God". I gave copies of "The Power of Myth" to friends and in 1991 I took an extension class at UCLA on myth and literature inspired by Campbell's writings. There I met the young journalist who was to become my (now ex) husband. So I tell people that meeting Joseph Campbell literally changed my life.
The reason I am recounting this anecdote is to illustrate that life changing possibilities exist everywhere and every day. A chance find of a newspaper on a bus-- what could be more ordinary than that? Yet picking up that newspaper (and acting on the impulse it inspired-- a very important point to remember!) led my life on an entirely different path.
Was it fate? Was it meant to be? I don't know and I don't expect to ever know. But now I pay very close attention to what comes into my life and when the impulse is strong enough, I always follow it.
Comments:
<< Home
That's a great story. I journey through my daily life with a similar set of eyes. I know the smallest thing can either inspire me or send me down a path of change and growth. It's a fun way to live I must say. Beats trying to be right or being angry at people on the highway. Although the bus ride can provide a certain reflective time to be influenced by things more important in life than another big SUV barrelling down the highway.
Post a Comment
# posted by 
: 8:29 AM
: 8:29 AM<< Home
