The Stories that We Tell Ourselves

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I sit here, writing this post on the 29th day of March, which is my birthday. No one could have predicted how my birthday would have turned out this year, in the midst of the global coronavirus epidemic - least of all me. But as I commemorate my birthday here in a foreign country without friends or family, the best thing that I can do today is to remind myself of who I am truly am and how this virus won't defeat me or this world. For after love, I would say that the second most powerful force in this world is storytelling, especially the stories we tell ourselves - stories about our origins, our peoples and our faiths.

In the midst of pain, we can find hope and strength from the stories that we tell ourselves. How will my story end? I don't know exactly. But I know that my faith has one story to tell, and that is the story that I cling to most dearly in dark times like these.

My Story

Today, I am drawn to my own story - a story of love and perseverance, courage and failures. I've enjoyed both highs and lows throughout my 29 years of existence on Earth, but I hold fast to these truths: I am enough as I am, and I am beautiful inside and out.

I'm reminded of the song "I'm Here" from the musical, The Color Purple. I was fortunate to see a Broadway tour perform the musical in St. Louis in Spring 2018. What I enjoyed most about that musical was the fact that Celie, the musical's protagonist, finally appreciates herself and understands her value in this world. I'm particularly fond of Cynthia Erivo's interpretation of Celie, especially her rendition of "I'm Here" and the following verses:

And I'm thankful for every day that I'm given

Both the easy and hard ones I'm livin'
But most of all, I'm thankful for
Lovin' who I really am


I'm beautiful
Yes, I'm beautiful
And I'm here


In that moment of hardship, loss, and pain, Celie understands that there is beauty in just being - being who you are and being alive at this moment. And that's enough for her and this world.

Like Celie, I am also thankful for being alive at this moment. I am thankful for myself and all the good and bad parts that I possess - because they are all me. I am enough as I am.

Origins: The Creation Story

When I think of the creation story of Adam and Eve, walking and living with God, I find the beauty of 'just being' because that was all that God required of his creation - to live, flourish and thrive. God wanted Adam and Eve to be in relationship with Him, with each other and all of the fauna and flora in the world. They didn't know work like we do today. Adam and Eve just existed in perfect harmony with God, each other and all of creation.

That image of perfect existence is what I focus on in today's times when there are fewer things to occupy my time. I am learning how to just "be" in relationship with God, be in relationship with other humanity from afar, and be in relationship with God's fauna and flora in a more limited perspective.

During this epidemic, I am not underestimating the great hardships that many are facing while unable to travel, see family or work when I speak about harmony and the positive value of just "being". And I'm not minimizing the severity of this coronavirus either. It has taken lives and caused more difficulties than anyone could have ever imagined. But what I am trying to do is remind myself of a time when all we had to do as humans was be. That story gives me peace at this moment when I don't have much to do but just be present with God. Because at one time, just being was enough.

Parting Thoughts

What will be the stories that you tell yourself to get you through these times? Will you remember previous hardships? Will you look towards your faith or family? As long as you are telling yourself a story, you are maintaining hope - hope that your story doesn't end in this dark time, but that this darkness will become a chapter of where humanity persevered. Yes, there will be failures and losses. But more importantly, there will be hope because your story will live on.

Location: Doha, Qatar

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