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THE NARRATIVE ARC

How I Accidentally Became Enlightened in My Front Yard

Wisdom of a cracked Buddha, a fortune cookie, and Alan Ball

Anne Kruse, M.S.
The Narrative Arc
Published in
8 min readAug 14, 2024

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a woman walking on stepping stones in a garden
Photo credit: Jill Wellington on Pexels.com

I know it’s kind of boring to start with a saying from a dead Greek guy, but hear me out.

Wonder is the beginning of wisdom. To find yourself, think for yourself. Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” ~ Socrates

For me, this little flame Socrates refers to is my pilot light that has weathered storms that whooshed their way into my port. I’ve embraced “my flame” as something constant that I rely upon. It continues to show up.

Sure, at times that flicker ignites a roaring bout of rumination at 3am and needs a meditative diffuser. But knowing it is inside of me at the ready gives a sense of peace and comfort in the toughest of situations.

I’m confident there is always an awakening to come.

As we go through life we develop our go-to actions, hacks and remedies when faced with challenges, good and bad. I’ve definitely relied upon philosophy to glean insight during uncertain times. It’s been providing a roadmap for people for thousands of years, so its track record speaks for itself. I can attest to its reliability when I’ve been in the midst of an…

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The Narrative Arc
The Narrative Arc

Published in The Narrative Arc

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Anne Kruse, M.S.
Anne Kruse, M.S.

Written by Anne Kruse, M.S.

Writer, Career Psychology, Conveyor of humor, insightful absurdities, and some stuff we really should talk about. annekrusethewriter.com.

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