Storytelling for Week 4: Life After Death

Two brothers Craig and Sam grew up in Pittsburgh under the same roof, however, they were very different.

Craig went to college at Pitt and studied chemistry for four years of undergraduate school and then eventually several more years to get his PhD. Craig was obsessed with acquiring knowledge. He was the guy who studied for his classes over breaks while most students were relaxing. Craig equated intelligence with success and wanted to be the smartest and most successful person he knew. He took pride it showing people how smart he was when rattling off random facts and talking over peoples' heads. Craig became so smart that he was eventually the head of the chemistry department at Monsanto. He was very good and figuring out new was to chemically engineer products to simulate/enhance natural products. Craig eventually learned that what he had been helping chemically engineer had very serious negative effects on the population and the earth. However, like so many of his coworkers he decided not think about that stuff. He was smart at chemistry and his intelligence had brought him nice things like his large house and nice clothes. These things brought purpose and happiness to his life.

Craig in his lab.
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Sam was the type of guy who struggled in school and did not feel like he was destined for higher academics. He decided to not go to college after he graduated high school and got his diploma. Sam realized what his strengths were in life and that led him to become a gym teacher at the high school he had gone to. Sam was one of those teachers all the kids loved and would hang around just to soak in his energy. Sam was great at giving kids advice and helping them through tough times. Sam realized that what he felt most passionate about was helping these kids he got to be around every day. He didn't have much money at all or "nice things" but what he did have was satisfaction at the end of the day. He had the satisfaction that that day he spent his time trying to make positive contributions to other's lives. He felt happy getting up each morning and couldn't wait to get to work and have fun with the students.

While Craig and Sam lived there lives Galaktastar watched them both. She was the creator of all things and it was her duty to judge the lives of humans so that when they died they were born into another life that was reflective of how they lived their previous one. 

Galaktastar
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Eventually Craig became old and passed away. He had a smoking habit he had picked up in college, which eventually led to lung cancer. Death was scary for Craig and he felt unsure of what was to come. Craig was born again but this time he was born as a mosquito. He was hated by all people and his life was constantly in danger of being ended by the smack of a hand. He was responsible for spreading disease because he had to live off of blood. He was sad an anxious most of the time.

Sam too eventually grew old and passed away. He died because his heart became enlarged and eventually his body did not have the strength to pump blood through it. Doctors said it wasn't an uncommon occurrence but his friends and family so it to be fitting of him. On his dead bed he was blown away by the number of people that came to visit him and tell him how he had effected their life. He was grateful for their kind words but in his mind it was them that brought him joy in life. When he was born again he was born an eagle. He spent his days flying all over the most beautiful landscapes and watching the sunset over the mountains or the ocean. There would be some sights that he witnessed that would bring him to actual tears because of their beauty. He would also cry because of the joy he felt in his heart. 

Author's Note. Reading The Sensible Enemy is what inspired me to write this story in this way. It sort of had a loose tie to the them of living a life centered on riches and knowledge versus living a life centered on others. In the original story it talks about the sons of kings deciding to go off on there own to be themselves and not follow in their fathers' footsteps. They believe they need money and gems to do the things they want to do though.
This story also reminded me of the story of the prodigal son in the bible. A lot of it is also just my own input. I think it is easy to feel pressured by your parents to do things or pursue certain careers. Sometimes I get frustrated by how much of that pressure can come from needing to attain money in order to sustain your life style. It is a weird relationship with money because I want to not feel so dependent on it for things yet at the same time I want to make money so that my parents don't have to feel further burdened by supporting me.
The images I chose for this story are supposed to help paint the picture for the reader. I chose them in an effort to assist in the reader's imagination and understanding of the story without interfering too much because I know different people will see it differently. 

Bibliography. The Sensible Enemy, The Panchatantra of Vishnu Sharma, translated byArthur Ryder, 1925.