What are you and your city’s central stories you tell yourselves to remember who you are? We all tell ourselves stories to remember ourselves by! Even cities and nations do. It matters which stories we tell ourselves.

Finding a person or places central stories or symbolic tales, has become more than a hobby to me—more a way of seeing, over the years!

I try to ask a city it’s central stories to know it. When I return often to the person or place, I start to sense their repeated symbols, and where they are at in healing them. Fun way to travel about!

Antwerp, for instance, where I stay has a David Goliath like story about underdogs overcoming, and cutting off the hand of the abuser. So there are many hand symbols throughout the city.

Tells lots about how she sees herself. And why she still welcomes the weak!
Her hand is extended from her heart. But also an oppressor was thrown off and that became a healing place.

We can see where she was wounded in the story as well. Exactly where her gift of friendliness and extension of hand is. And what she had to do to heal it. Defeat the giants of oppression and abuse, historically and daily, I’m sure.

So much in city’s stories, which you can often read through architecture or central landmarks or statues!!! And the personal stories we repeat to ourselves and others to remember who we are. Our identity motifs. Again symbols hold expressions of core identity.

What again are you and your city’s stories you repeat to carry identity?

The Greeks repeated stories of origin, adventure, conquest-all sorts of Odysseus as they equated travel with wisdom. Etc. each culture has its central stories. In fact, it is said that Alexander slept with both the Iliad and the Odyssey and a dagger under his pillow. What books are beneath your pillow, they may guide your journey, for better or worse!

I often sometimes also ask, what stories are your historical or foundational ones, and how are those interpreted currently. How are your symbols in dialogue across time. It’s another way of reading the overarching narrative of a person or place.

The Jews repeat the Passover story each year to remember themselves.

We all have haggadah’s. But each reflect unique aspects of identity? So, what are your central stories, and where are they at in editing, or healing process of you and your city’s identity. Fun to work from our stories into our cores!