Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Blog #2: Find Your Howl

In the Mumon story by Robert Frost he tells the story of one red wolf named Mumon. Mumon and his peers were raised and captivity then released, but he and the others somehow forgot how to howl. Mumon then embarked on a solo journey to find his howl and take his place as the leader of the wolf pack. Only after he had reached his lowest point when he was shot and wounded by a hunter was he able to find his howl and howl. Allowing his peers to hear his howl and howl in response. Robert Frost is metaphorically saying that to find your howl or the aspect of yourself that sets you apart from other people you must endure hardships and hit rock bottom. He explains that this is very difficult to do and that it is the only way to get what you want which is true freedom. He exclaims that it’s not enough to be brave and take risks and reach your goals but that you have to actually go through the tough situations in life to truly be individual have a unique voice.  
One of my favorite stories is the life of Naruto Uzumaki, by creator Masashi Kishimoto, which is presented as a Japanese manga and anime television show. The story of Naruto Uzumaki is about a ninja who grew up ostracized for being different and throughout his journey to become a ninja met with an abundance of difficulties way to horrible for an adolescent to endure. Naruto not only approached life differently but had his own unconventional way of becoming a ninja. This story speaks to me not only literally but figuratively as well. I didn’t have the best childhood and I was met with a lot of adversity at home, school, and anywhere I went. It never seemed enough that I deserved to be happy because I was alive but that I always had to prove myself to the people who seemed to hate me unreasonably. I was different and whether it was my twin sister or the bully on the playground they had to let me know that they neither accepted nor would ignore that difference. This cruelty allowed me to express myself creatively because it became my coping mechanism and imaginary world that no one could criticize except for me. At least until my creativity became known by others the judged by recent standards and I was once again challenged to recollect myself from the scores of quote-on-quote creative beings who’s daily task was to bring me down to their level. Naruto has a good saying rather a way of life or ninja way as he calls it and it is, “Never give up, no matter what,”(Kishimoto), meaning that you never give on a loved one, a friend, or yourself. If you make a promise you keep it, if you want something fight for it, and if you’re met with opposition never let it win. This has rained true in my life as a creative person and has helped me to establish my creative process. My creative process is just that to , “Never give up,”(Kishimoto), even when times are tough and I’m on the verge on breaking down and crying keep resisting because that is the only way to get past it and make your situation better.

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