#8 Something Stronger

At this point, I feel like we are just watching the movie backwards, because today’s interesting moment comes from the dawn of the grand finale. As Quasimodo finds himself locked in his bell tower (quite literally this time, as he is chained to the pillars,) he abandons all hope of things turning out alright. He hangs his head as his gargoyle friends try to break his chains for him. They try and they try, but eventually they give up. And as they do, they deliver a line that echoes its way into Quasimodo’s heart:

“We can’t break these chains. We’re only made of stone. We just figured you were made of something stronger.”

And as this line sinks in, Quasimodo wakes up to a deep, powerful determination. He snaps the chains that hold him and rushes in to save his friends. And the final battle begins!

I think there are a few lessons to take from this epic moment. First of all, your friends can’t break the chains that hold you. You have to take hold of that extra oomph, and only you can shed the weight that holds you down. Friends can help. They can encourage. But ultimately, they can only show you the doors. It’s up to you to walk through them. Whether that’s asking that person out, or signing up for a new group or activity or anything else, they can’t force you to truly commit. They can only show you what might be best to commit to. 

But that leads us to our “oomph.” Our inner fire. What is that something stronger that we are supposed to be made of? I think it’s actually a form of un-acceptance. Yeah, you heard me. There are certain things, like the death of the innocent, that we shouldn’t accept. They should bother us, and we should let them bother us. I think that this could be a very powerful tool if we learn to control it-to learn to tell certain things to slide off our shoulders, and others to shake us to our very core. 

In other words, a strong moral compass could do wonders as a motivator. I mean, how many times did Quasi leave his bell tower, despite not wanting to? It was his sense of right and wrong that guided him. Maybe it will be your guide as well. Maybe the way you get yourself off the couch and out of a life of complacency is to find something that irks you. A wrong that’s not being made right in the world. It could become something that you feel you must change. It won’t be comfortable, it won’t be easy, but it will turn  you into a force of nature. Then, at the end of the day, you will be able to hold your head high because you have done something with your life. 

But not all of us have major crises at our front door, or causes that really get us out of bed. What do we do then? I think it’s important to remember that this force of nature develops over time. You might not wake up with a raging fire one day. The first step is to give yourself some time to get attached to something. Maybe just give volunteer work a go, just for the heck of it. Or, if that feels like too big a step, just be nice to someone. Do it in such a way that you expect nothing in return. Pay for someone else’s meal at the drive-thru, or offer a coworker a cup of coffee. Just give it a go and see what happens! 

And what you may find is that the world is a far sadder, lonelier place than you realized. That those little acts of kindness go a long way. And hopefully you will also find that you are entirely capable of making a real difference in people’s lives. And hopefully, imagining a world that you don’t go help bothers you, to the point where you feel the need to go out and make a difference in the world, bringing joy and purpose to everyone’s lives all around you. 

I pray joy and purpose surround you this day as you live it. I pray that things go well for you and that you are able to be a little happier than before. 

Until next time

May Peace be your Guide.