Psyche was a young girl living in today's society, and she saw that there were many things going on in the world that she did not agree with. One day as she was walking in downtown New York city she noticed a billboard that wasn't there on her walk the day before. The billboard read 'Bring World Peace: details inside.' While she stopped to read it and it caught her attention she kept walking along. The next day when she passed that same area, she found that the sign was gone. She asked someone about it and they didn't know what she was talking about. "That sign has always been an add for Chipotle," the stranger said.
One strange looking boy however, who had overheard their conversation approached her and said, "let's go inside, I saw the sign too." Now she was really intrigued so she agreed and they walked inside together.
"Hello," said the woman standing inside, "are you ready to accept your calling?"
"I don't really understand what's going on!" said Psyche. "I just want some answers."
The woman explained that she had a unique job and that job was to help people to find their callings. When Psyche had heard this, she laughed. In her mind she thought this was all some horoscope craziness and didn't believe anything she heard. She couldn't believe she had let her curiosity get the better of her. So, she left the boy and the woman inside and walked home.
The next day, in the distance, she saw the same phrase again, this time in poster form. But she had taken an alternate route to work so she was confused how the woman had found her yet again. She approached a stranger again and said, "what does that sign say?" They responded that it was an add for a local band that was playing that weekend. Now, really weirded out, Psyche began to think about what the woman had said the day before. She had always believed in a god but she had never thought that her calling and purpose in life would be laid out for her in this manor. She chose to follow the sign and right as she approached it, she noticed a door right below the sign. She thought to herself, "well here goes nothing," and went inside.
It was dark as she walked inside, but her eyes adjusted and she appeared to be in some kind of conference room. She approached the screen but expecting something to come on the screen, was surprised to hear a voice from a chair around the table. Starting to get scared now, she began to walk out, but the door she had entered from was no where to be found. The voice said, "Psyche, are you ready to bring peace to this world you live in?" Again she didn't know what to say because she was just one person, and this was a big world. "How?" she asked.
Just then, on the screen, appeared a slideshow of pictures from her life. As the pictures flashed across the screen, she noticed a pattern. They were sad and angry memories followed by the happy memories that came out of these sad situations. As she thought about it, she realized that the key to overcoming sadness and anger was love and compassion. While she still was unsure how she could implement this into bringing peace around the world, the slideshow ended, and the door reappeared.
As she walked back outside, she noticed the strange boy that she had seen from before sitting on a bench and approached him. She asked if he could see the sign too. He responded, "I saw the sign but I don't know what to do." She asked him if he had gone inside but he said he was too scared. She finally convinced him to go inside and when he came back out he had a realization.
"I think I have a special ability," he said, "I can make people feel love." She asked him if he would like to help her so they could complete their callings together, then she asked his name. "Lance Cupid," he responded. She laughed inside at the fact that his name had Cupid in it.
As they walked down the street, they began to notice that people's moods would change as they walked by. It was almost as if their presence together had some kind of power over everyone they passed. Eventually, it dawned on Psyche that they needed to travel. So they dropped everything and bought a plane ticket to Europe. As they travelled, they began to fall in love; they fell in love with the places they went, the people they met, and eventually, each other. Psyche realized that Cupid had an incredibly positive effect on everyone he met, but together they had the ability to change peoples hearts entirely.
They watched the news and checked Facebook in the months to come, they began to only hear about positive news.
They decided to return home for a while. As they passed the spot that they had both met at only 6 months before, they saw the same door. They agreed to walk inside and this time they were welcomed with light. The woman who had talked to her the second day she saw her calling spoke to them.
She congratulated them on their accomplishments and congratulated them on their love. It was a very special time because they realized that the power they had given everyone was the power of love, and it was shown to everyone by their example. They continued to travel and share their stories, and it was the best calling they could have. Through their faithfulness and spontaneity to fulfill their calling, they were able to bring peace to this world.
Author's Note: My inspiration for this weeks story came from the Roman story I read from classical era, Cupid and Psyche. I also tied in the monomyth theme that follows the pattern: call to adventure, refusal of quest, accepting the call, entering the unknown, supernatural aide, reward and the journey home, and restoring the world. I wanted the girl in my story to be the hero, instead of the prisoner, with Cupid as the supernatural aide. I also added a more modern twist.
Bibliography: Cupid and Psyche, from The Golden Ass, by Apuleius, translated by Tony Kline
Image Info: New York City
One strange looking boy however, who had overheard their conversation approached her and said, "let's go inside, I saw the sign too." Now she was really intrigued so she agreed and they walked inside together.
"Hello," said the woman standing inside, "are you ready to accept your calling?"
"I don't really understand what's going on!" said Psyche. "I just want some answers."
The woman explained that she had a unique job and that job was to help people to find their callings. When Psyche had heard this, she laughed. In her mind she thought this was all some horoscope craziness and didn't believe anything she heard. She couldn't believe she had let her curiosity get the better of her. So, she left the boy and the woman inside and walked home.
The next day, in the distance, she saw the same phrase again, this time in poster form. But she had taken an alternate route to work so she was confused how the woman had found her yet again. She approached a stranger again and said, "what does that sign say?" They responded that it was an add for a local band that was playing that weekend. Now, really weirded out, Psyche began to think about what the woman had said the day before. She had always believed in a god but she had never thought that her calling and purpose in life would be laid out for her in this manor. She chose to follow the sign and right as she approached it, she noticed a door right below the sign. She thought to herself, "well here goes nothing," and went inside.
It was dark as she walked inside, but her eyes adjusted and she appeared to be in some kind of conference room. She approached the screen but expecting something to come on the screen, was surprised to hear a voice from a chair around the table. Starting to get scared now, she began to walk out, but the door she had entered from was no where to be found. The voice said, "Psyche, are you ready to bring peace to this world you live in?" Again she didn't know what to say because she was just one person, and this was a big world. "How?" she asked.
Just then, on the screen, appeared a slideshow of pictures from her life. As the pictures flashed across the screen, she noticed a pattern. They were sad and angry memories followed by the happy memories that came out of these sad situations. As she thought about it, she realized that the key to overcoming sadness and anger was love and compassion. While she still was unsure how she could implement this into bringing peace around the world, the slideshow ended, and the door reappeared.
As she walked back outside, she noticed the strange boy that she had seen from before sitting on a bench and approached him. She asked if he could see the sign too. He responded, "I saw the sign but I don't know what to do." She asked him if he had gone inside but he said he was too scared. She finally convinced him to go inside and when he came back out he had a realization.
"I think I have a special ability," he said, "I can make people feel love." She asked him if he would like to help her so they could complete their callings together, then she asked his name. "Lance Cupid," he responded. She laughed inside at the fact that his name had Cupid in it.
As they walked down the street, they began to notice that people's moods would change as they walked by. It was almost as if their presence together had some kind of power over everyone they passed. Eventually, it dawned on Psyche that they needed to travel. So they dropped everything and bought a plane ticket to Europe. As they travelled, they began to fall in love; they fell in love with the places they went, the people they met, and eventually, each other. Psyche realized that Cupid had an incredibly positive effect on everyone he met, but together they had the ability to change peoples hearts entirely.
They watched the news and checked Facebook in the months to come, they began to only hear about positive news.
They decided to return home for a while. As they passed the spot that they had both met at only 6 months before, they saw the same door. They agreed to walk inside and this time they were welcomed with light. The woman who had talked to her the second day she saw her calling spoke to them.
She congratulated them on their accomplishments and congratulated them on their love. It was a very special time because they realized that the power they had given everyone was the power of love, and it was shown to everyone by their example. They continued to travel and share their stories, and it was the best calling they could have. Through their faithfulness and spontaneity to fulfill their calling, they were able to bring peace to this world.
Author's Note: My inspiration for this weeks story came from the Roman story I read from classical era, Cupid and Psyche. I also tied in the monomyth theme that follows the pattern: call to adventure, refusal of quest, accepting the call, entering the unknown, supernatural aide, reward and the journey home, and restoring the world. I wanted the girl in my story to be the hero, instead of the prisoner, with Cupid as the supernatural aide. I also added a more modern twist.
Bibliography: Cupid and Psyche, from The Golden Ass, by Apuleius, translated by Tony Kline
Image Info: New York City
Hi Stephanie! Wow, this is a great story! You changed so much of it, but it's so much better now! I love how Cupid and Psyche were able to make the world a better place when they were together. Your author's note was really eye-opening too and explained a lot of stuff that I just really hadn't noticed. Great job!
ReplyDeleteHey there Stephanie!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, if it hadn't been for the name and the author's note, I wouldn't have even recognized this story. But I really like your version! I like that instead of finding lover, Cupid and Psyche's goal is to make the world a better place, and they grow to love each other while doing that. I also really liked that Psyche was the brave one!
Hi Stephanie! I'm glad I got to read your version of Psyche and Cupid because it's one of the stories I'm thinking about telling for my Storybook. I liked how positive it was because Greek and Roman myths are usually so depressing! I know the original version of this myth does have a happy ending but it's pretty depressing throughout the rest of the book. I also liked how you focused on the monomyth theme because you don't usually see those with a female protagonist.
ReplyDeleteGreat Story Stephanie! I loved this because you took a totally original approach to writing this story. I found that the way you described the Cupid and the Psyche. I felt that you created a great image for the reader that allowed for us to truly recognize what was going down. I also loved how you put the setting in New York City too I thought this was a great place for the setting.
ReplyDeleteGreat Story Stephanie! I loved this because you took a totally original approach to writing this story. I found that the way you described the Cupid and the Psyche. I felt that you created a great image for the reader that allowed for us to truly recognize what was going down. I also loved how you put the setting in New York City too I thought this was a great place for the setting.
ReplyDelete