“When you look into the abyss, the abyss also looks into you.” Friedrich Nietzsche 

I love this quote, especially in relation to the hero’s journey.  The abyss is the black moment.  That split second when things change for the character and he or she has changed.  It happens in most books and with most characters [I don’t say all for there are bound to be a few exceptions].

 The abyss is the biggest challenge the hero faces in his journey and it’s the thing that is life altering.  It forces him [or her] to face their greatest fear[s] and it is a solo experience, something he must face alone.   A book is a page-turner if we don’t know if the hero will succeed.  If there remains a possibility that the abyss will beat him, we, the readers, are on the edge of our seats.  

When Indiana Jones must choose the challis, he faces his greatest fears: his father’s death [and the love he truly feels for him] and his own doubts about his knowledge. Can he trust himself?  We saw the result of the wrong choice and the possibility exists that Indy will face the same thing–his own mortality and the responsibility of his father’s death.

When Harry Potter faces Lord Voldemort, he must face his own dark side–the very thing he fears and struggles with the most. 

Fears are layered and complex, but they exist in all of us. What would you do if you faced your abyss? Would you buckle?  Would you have it look back into you and challenge it head on?  I think you won’t know until you’ve been there.  I know I’ll face many obstacles, some bigger than others, but until I am there, staring at the abyss, I won’t know how I will react. 

It happened this weekend.  I ran into a woman I am in great conflict with.   We talked, we argued, and we ‘fought’ [my kids’ perspective as bystanders].   In my past I wouldn’t have stood up to this person and said my piece because I don’t typically engage in conflict.  But Saturday, I felt something in me change.  My kids and their best interests and the knowledge that they have been hurt by people they trusted and the fear that they could be hurt again if I’m not there to protect them gave me strength to fight the good fight on their behalf.  I looked into the abyss and it looked back into me and I didn’t back down. 

I’ve grown and am on a journey of transformation and I’m proud to be moving forward in my life.   I’m proud to know that I have strength I didn’t have before.  And I’m proud of my convictions and that I have maintained my integrity throughout a really difficult situation.

Question of the Day: 

What does your abyss look like? Will you [or have you] conquer[ed] your fears?