Day 3 (Sorta) - Politics As Usual
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| An example of some brotherly family dynamics... oddly familiar to me: Game Of Thrones - Jon Snow, Robb, Bran & Rickon Stark |
Speaking of the weekend I had an opportunity to spend an extended period of time with my older brothers ( or some of them anyway). I noticed almost immediately how I allowed myself to fall down in the social politics of the situation.
While I won't waste time or space here recounting my thoughts on the whole experience - as that's personal and not going to paint the best impression of the events right now - the entire experience got me thinking about the roles we play within our family make up. Even now as I near 40 years on this rock, I allow myself to slide back into that past role place just like a rebellious 14 year old kid. I've spent some headcycles pondering what it is about me that lends me toward that. Its not like I'm a snot nosed punk who hasn't experienced the world anymore. Why should I feel so intimidated that I subvert my self confidence and respect and revert?
The simplest answer I could come up with was that I'm just programmed that way. I strongly believe that trauma makes potentially ordinary people extraordinary, and while we all live our lives with trials and tribulations, it is hard not to see some of my choices through that lens. I come from a pretty dysfunctional functional family. A family of Alpha men mostly, with all of us lions of our own independent prides. We're all pretty extraordinary folks who've lived great lives and influenced the world around us in pretty interesting ways. (Sorry, I'm just not feeling humble.. and everyone tells me it's the truth when I talk about what we've all accomplished over our lives).
Aside from the personal reflection though, this whole weekend got me thinking about medieval nobility and the family drama and tension associated with the birth order. This is especially true for ruling nobility where the birth order largely determined the life path of the sons of the king or emperor. (Daughters just got married off for political expedience most of the time.)
Maybe from this little drama I've found inspiration. I envisioned a passion play featuring medieval noble versions of my brothers and I and I spent time on the trip returning from the weekend pondering the roles we'd have all played.
Being 6th in the total line, but potentially either 3rd or 4th or 1st born depending on the dynamic in the story, it opens up some interesting possibilities for a character. What if I were to write a period tale about a kingly family and personify the various siblings based on the persona and exaggerated traits of my real brothers?
Could I do that and tell an interesting tale? Anyone who has met any of us would see the potential there.. we're dynamic people by nature.
I think I'll ponder it a bit more - maybe do some research beyond my current understandings of lineage to see if there is a story brewing here.. Maybe my writing can be my therapy.
Maybe, I'll just revert back to beer and ale for cold comfort, either way I'm thinking and that's not so bad a thing for me to do, so long as I don't end up lost inside my head.
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