Prince Nomad

Before I knew about the Hero’s Journey, or Narnia, or Endor, or Gandolf, or Neo I was told about Prince Nomad. His courage, his ability to problem solve, his kind and humble heart and maybe most importantly his awareness of his royal position. Despite being far far away, he knew the good and righteous kingdom was never far off. Even in, especially in the darkest times, there was always, always hope. The details of his quests have long since faded from my mind, but the hope, the awareness of the kingdom’s presence is ‘hard wired’ in my soul by my mother. My mother, who then in her early 30s (about 15 years younger than I am now) possessed the wisdom and skill to tell a story to answer the questions sprouting in her only son’s heart. Gently told inches away from my then unscarred face at night to allow me to sleep and to invite me to dream. Of all the things a mom could do who found herself recently divorced, entering the workforce with 3 kids (me the youngest) as a single mom, between her own anxiety, doubt, work, prayer, panic, cleaning, and crying, my mom decided to tell me a story.

The Story of Prince Nomad who always shepherded well, fought for what was right and who even when he was sad and scared always persevered. An amazing gift that is not calculable. The details of the stories of my own life at that time have long since faded, yet the courage, the hope, the forgiving kindness, and the pursuit of the kingdom have been revealing themselves in each season of my life since. If my life were an allegorical tale, then the virtues of Prince Nomad, these nomadic principles that adapt to change, choice, and chaos have been the subtext, the soundtrack, the themes. They’ve been with me as instincts. I don’t remember how old I was when I realized that nomad was simply Damon spelled backwards or when I started to piece together how some of the aloneness, much needed thriftiness or moments of sadness mirrored my own childhood, but I do know I was aware I was him and he was me.

Scared and yet confident as I navigated not the rolling hills of a fairytale landscape but instead changing schools every 2 years my entire life, as I constantly had to assess new friends, foes and common characters who transcended places. It was my subconscious, little secret that they each thought they were the most original and unique bully or prince charming or popular princess, yet I knew what Solomon and F.D.R said was true and unfolding before me, “There is nothing new under the sun…and we have nothing to fear but fear itself.” So, as a man, a father of 5, a husband of 25 years, and sojourner in this life when changes, trials, and mistakes have stacked themselves up in my life, it is Nomad’s presence in my life that drives me to…

Say something.

Do something.

Make the hard call.

Confront the broken thing.

Add a seat at the table.

And to believe that the kingdom is never, ever far off. I’m simply put, ‘on a quest’ and my heart is brave.

Who wants to adventure?

Who do you need to go tell a story to and invite them to come along?