Stories That Changed My Life

It's no secret that I love stories. I love them in every form and medium - from books, to movies, and to albums. My love for stories has grown so much more as I’ve found new ones to love and as I’ve returned to some of my old favourites. I have often asked myself why I love storytelling so much. What is it about them that stirs up such excitement within me?

The conclusion that I have come to is that stories are powerful. A good story, the ones that stick with you the most, impact us on multiple levels. They strike us emotionally as we empathize with characters who have different experiences than us. They allow us a momentary escape from reality, but, inevitably, provide us with truths that help us navigate that reality. Every story carries meaning, a certain philosophy or belief, that leaves a lasting imprint upon our lives, whether we recognize it or not. Stories have the ability to connect us with people we never imagined we could befriend. Our experiences of encountering the stories that mean the most to us are captured in each twist of the plot or well-timed phrase. Stories capture memory, history, and shape our identity. According to Lisa Cron in Story Genius, a good story can have a chemical impact upon our brains which are literally designed to enjoy and learn from narratives.

Ultimately, stories have the power to alter us forever.

There have been many stories that have impacted my life in dramatic ways. It sounds cliché, but, honestly, I may not have become the same person I am today without them. Not only have they awoken new interests within me or led me to discover new passions (such as writing!), but they have had a lasting mark on my identity and how I understand and respond to the world I live in. Today, I’m going to share with you some of the key stories that have changed my life and continued to speak to me in unique ways. I’m certain that many of these stories listed below are those you have encountered before so no time will be spent explaining what each narrative is about. Instead, I will be sharing with you my experience with these stories, the aspects of it that have encouraged or challenged my beliefs, and how God used them to change my life.

1. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien

This trilogy is arguably my favourite fictional story of all time. I coin the term “story” here because my journey with this narrative did not begin with the books, but with the films.

From a young age, my imagination had always run wild. My mother will be the first to tell you that I often moved through the world with my head in another dimension. During my early years in school, I never found any stories that compared to the ones I made in my mind. Most of the books tossed in my lap were grounded in the real world which I often felt disconnected from. I would not classify this as escapism, but, rather, a desire for something more. A kernel of knowledge that I was destined for a greater story, one that I would not fully recognize until I was fourteen years old.

Around the age of ten or twelve, my dad introduced me to the Peter Jackson film adaptations of The Lord of The Rings. Surprisingly, this eleven-hour trilogy that consisted of a lot of walking and men fighting battles to an epic soundtrack really stuck with me. Over the years, as I’ve gone on to finally read the books and rewatch the movies more times than I can count, I’ve wondered why this story continues to resonate with me so much. I realized that it is not only because it is such a well-constructed narrative, but because I encountered it at a very difficult time in my life.

This beautiful story about rich friendship, adventures through another realm, a fight to find hope in the shadows intruded on my life not too long after a close friend of mine was murdered. This constant theme about striving to recognize the good in this world, despite all the confusing and hard things we face, struck my hardened heart. It continues to do so every single time I rewatch these movies. They taught me that there is light and hope that can be found in hardship. That good is always worth fighting for.

Moreover, this story also opened up an entirely new genre to me that I’d not realized I loved so much. Since I watched these movies, I’ve always gravitated towards other fantasy stories like it, such as a few listed below. Not only did this story speak into an emotional aspect of my life, but it awoke within me a passion for stories that has only continued to grow.

2. Harry Potter by J.K Rowling

As I said, there were not many books that interested me as a child. Most of the stories introduced to me were of girls adopting pet dogs, which, personally, I didn’t really care for. Since I’d not found a single book that piqued my interest, most of my childhood was not spent reading every novel I could get my hands on. In fact, I actually hated reading (especially when teachers would force me to in class).

However, in the seventh grade, my teacher took us on a trip to the Ontario Science Centre where they had a special exhibition for the latest Harry Potter movie. Like most kids, I was well aware of the Harry Potter book series. All my friends had grown up reading it. My parents were not quick to introduce it to me because of a lot of the controversy that followed it in many Christian communities. Yet, I never really had an interest in them until that day I walked through the sets, glimpsed a few clips from the movies, and watched my friends get so excited about it. I went home that day with the desire to read the books.

Instead, my family watched the first movie together and we all walked away stunned. I couldn’t get the story out of my head. The next day at school I instantly went to the library and began reading The Philosopher’s Stone. I ended up reading the entire series of seven books that year, which my parents were completely surprised by. Every spare moment I had was spent with one of those books in my lap.

This series has some controversy nowadays, but it is, without a doubt, an incredibly beautiful story that carries many of the same themes as The Lord of The Rings. Although these did speak to me, it was the characters, the well-constructed narrative, and the world-building that left me hanging onto every word and fervently flipping each page.

This story means so much to me because I can safely say that if I had not read it, I never would have discovered my love for reading. I never would have made many of the friends I have without it. Most of all, I never would have discovered my passion for writing.

3. The River of Time Series by Lisa T. Bergren

This young adult time-travel historical fiction series was one that my grandma gifted me for Christmas not long after I read Harry Potter. At first, I was very skeptical as the cover of the book looked really cheesy and I knew that it was a book she had taken off the shelf at a Christian bookstore. Unfortunately, at the time (and still to this day), Christian fiction has had a really bad rep. I anticipated the series to be super preachy, which was not something I was looking for at that point in my life. However, this series about a bond of two sisters set in fourteenth-century Italy instantly swept me off my feet.

Not only was this the first time that I was reading a series that took place in a different country with incredibly authentic and relatable characters. It was also the first time I was reading a story that had two female protagonists who fought to protect each other, their family, the men they grew to love, and their faith. This had a tremendous impact on me as a teenager. For the first time, I was able to see myself in these two leading young women. Not simply because they were women, but because there were women who were wrestling with their faith. Lisa Bergren did an outstanding job of gracefully weaving this theme throughout the first three novels I could not put down.

This aspect of the series, paired with the fact that I’d not read a book like this written by a Christian before, pressed more into that little desire I had to write my own novel. In fact, it was this series that heavily inspired one of the early chapters in my first novel, The Winds of Destiny.

4. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

This trilogy took over my life during my Jr. High and High School years. I fell deeply in love with these books that urged me to think more deeply about the broken society we live in as I made connections between this fictional setting and my reality. The older I get the more I really appreciate what Suzanne Collins has done with this trilogy.

Katniss as a protagonist really inspired me so much as a young woman. The aspect about her character that stuck with me the most is that she is so flawed, just as I am. Yet, she was still called to play an important role in her world: to be the Mockingjay, someone to fight and stand up for those who were oppressed. She was incapable and unequipped for the task, but she was still vital to a plan greater than herself.

This trilogy was so empowering for me to read as a woman and a writer. As I return to these books and films, I’m constantly discovering new aspects of it that speak to issues in our current world in a profound way. It was this series that really refined my vision for the kind of stories I wanted to write. I desired to write a novel that followed a strong female character who battled the forces of evil for the greater good in a fantasy realm. But I also longed for that story to speak so something greater. Like Katniss, I wanted to use my voice, my gift and my passion for storytelling, to inspire others and raise awareness to real and difficult challenges humans face every day, on a global and personal level.

Wired for Story

There are truly many more stories that I could add to this list. Recently, there have been even more key stories that have really resonated with me and shaped my life. I will likely post a Part II of this list at some point, but, for now, I hope to appreciate the ways that God has used fiction to heal me and draw me closer to Him. It’s no mistake that we were created to enjoy, respond to, and learn from stories. For we were crafted in the image of a very great storyteller.

What are some of the stories that have impacted your life?

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(Note to Reader: I hope you stick around for more posts from me as I embark on this journey of exploring my passion for art and faith through my writing to encourage others in their creative pursuits. Please know, Reader, that you are welcome here. No matter who you are. No matter your personal beliefs. I’d like to emphasize that everything in this post is based upon my own opinion, interpretation, and experience. I have qualifications, but I’d hardly call myself an expert. My hope is that in sharing my thoughts and story that you would find encouragement or inspiration through my words. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact me! I’d love to connect with you!)