Our conscious memories go back to early childhood. And we typically mark the day of our birth as the beginning of our story. But our origin story goes back even further and does not begin with us.
The story of the birth of Jesus didn’t begin with the birth of Jesus.
We’re given the backstory before his birth to Mary and Joseph. In fact, the whole Old Testament can be seen as pointing to and anticipating his birth.
We see this in every good hero story as well.
Superman’s story goes back to the planet of Krypton, for example, while Batman’s story is traced back to the murder of his parents.
Backstories help us to better understand the hero by placing him in a larger historical context. Their story does not begin with them.
And the same is true for us. Our story does not begin with us.
Long before we were born or even thought about, our parents, grandparents, and all those before us made choices and lived life in a way that still has a ripple effect on us today.
Sometimes we observe this as generational patterns. Maybe a certain personality quirk, struggle, or interest gets passed down and becomes a prominent theme in our family.
In any case, it’s clear our origin story predates us.
As such, to fully understand our story and ourselves we must go back. Those before us hold secrets to who we are and how our lives have been shaped.
Our story does not take place in a vacuum. It has a rich past that must also be honored.
And to be sure, understanding our origin story gives us greater freedom, clarity, and confidence throughout our life and relationships today.
Take the time to learn your origin story.
Photo by Isiah Gibson on Unsplash
