As a young child, Jonathan always knew that he was destined for greater things. He was born in a small town in rural Kansas in 1970 and had a deep, rich desire to reach masses of people outside of his small town. His family was poor, ridden with disease and pain. The financial troubles often cause an immense amount of strains on his familial relationships. Despite being discouraged and put down for his radical thinkings and strange ideas, Jonathan didn’t waver from what he knew was right. Jonathan had a very revealing dream at a young age and was told by a wise man in his dream that he would one day change the world. He believed this prophecy wholeheartedly. He and his mother always had heated debates about why Jonathan always felt the need to spend night after night in deep mediation. The meditation was taxing on Jonathan but he knew it was all for a greater purpose. He knew that he must work to become the powerful person he knew he was destined to be. But his mother found this behavior inexcusable and they often got into heated debates regarding his behavior.
“Son, I don’t believe in these sort of actions,” his mother would begin.
“Mother, I do aim to make you happy but also believe that I have to do what is best for me,” Jonathan answered.
“Do as you will but please be wise,” his mother relented.
At the age of 20, Jonathan finally left his small town in search of a greater destiny. He decided to attend college and major in philosophy working to understand the deeper meaning of life. College was a grand time of transformation for Jonathan. He learned, grew, and radically changed into the person he was hoping to become.
One night, Jonathan found himself outside sitting under a large palm tree where he meditated fervently hoping to be told of the next stage of his life. During this time, Jonathan was riddled with troubling thoughts of his mother's resistance to his path in life. But he fought these evil thoughts and continued to meditate. All of a sudden, Jonathan was finally able to see the answer to all the questions in his life. Jonathan became “awake” and felt like an extremely different person.
Author’s Notes:
This story is a very strange take on the story of Siddhartha becoming Buddha. I wanted to work to modernize the tale while still having many circumstances that followed the narrative of the original story. I kept in the disapproval of an outside source, the leaving of his own town to find greater things, and his “awakening” taking place under a tree.
Bibliography:
Buddha Biography
April 2, 2014
Hi Lauryn,
ReplyDeleteThis is a great adaptation from the original story. I like the fact that you modernize. I like the character development that you give to Johnathan. You refer to the transformation you undertake when you are in college, a change that many of us go through as we grow and learn. Like Buddha, Jonathan new the struggles of being pains of disease and being poor.
You story is very well written, and I look forward to reading more of your stories.
Best,
Kevin.
Hi there Lauryn!
ReplyDeleteI like how you retold the story of the Buddha's enlightenment from a more modern perspective. I think it was great how you chose to leave some central elements of the story the same while still updating the story overall. I'd be curious to know what Johnathan did next after reaching this revelation, and how it impacted his life.
-Kate
Hey Lauryn!
ReplyDeleteFirst off, love the spelling of your name! Anyways, I love how you modernized the story! I think you kept what was really important, an external force of disappointment. I also like how there is a cliffhanger to draw the readers into the next story!