Rewriting the Fairy Tales in My Life

Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten. 

G.K. Chesterton

This quote has sparked something deep within me recently. As a Pisces, my natural tendency is to dream of a life that mirrors the fairy tales I’ve loved since childhood. I long to be the damsel in distress, waiting for a knight in shining armor to save me, to carry me off to a place where the world’s problems feel smaller.

I find myself playing every role in my story: the damsel, the knight, and yes, even the dragon. The damsel in me cries out for rescue, the knight straps on armor and tries to save the day, while the dragon hoards pain, fear, and self-doubt. It’s a story that loops, a cycle of struggle and survival.

Recently, I began reading Shaman by Ya’Acov Darling Khan, and his rendition of the Vicious Circle struck a nerve. It resonated with how I sometimes repeat the same patterns, living stories that keep me stuck. But he offers a way out: the Medicine Circle, a space of healing, growth, and transformation. Meditating on this has helped me see that I don’t want to stay trapped in the same roles. I want to rewrite my story into one where I’m not a victim of circumstance but a creator of meaning.

I want to become the Dancing Fool who moves with life’s rhythms, embracing the unexpected with joy. I want to embody the Wise Elder, carrying the lessons of my journey with humility and grace. And I want to be the Dancing Warrior, not the dragon hoarding fear but a force of love and strength, living boldly and unapologetically.

Living love through the practice of story means reclaiming my narrative, turning it into a fairy tale worth living. This means realizing that I hold the pen, that I can shift from the Vicious Circle to the Medicine Circle. It’s not about waiting for rescue but learning to dance, to heal, and to fight for a life that reflects my truths.

I am the damsel, the knight, and the dragon. But now, I choose to be the Dancing Fool, the Wise Elder, and the Dancing Warrior. My story is still being written, and with love as my guide, I know it will be a tale worth telling.

~Candice Carver