The Hook & The Heart

“It’s called wayfinding, princess. And it’s not just sails and knots... it’s seeing where you’re going in your mind... knowing where you are... by knowing where you’ve been.”I spent a long time trying to be a hero. I thought if I could just “do” enough good, I could cover up the parts of me that felt unwanted or broken. I was carrying a “hook” that I thought defined me, much like Maui does in Moana.In this episode of The Screening Room, I’m going back to the archives. I’m reading a raw blog post I wrote years ago—before I “cleaned it up” for a devotional. It’s a little messy, a little vulnerable, and it gets honest about the times I’ve been the villain in someone else’s story.In the last year, I did something I never thought I’d do: I got my first tattoo (at the age of 46). Then I got six more. Each of the seven is a physical marker of a deep, personal truth I’ve wrestled with during my life. While I was recording this, I couldn't help but think about Maui’s markings—how he didn't just tattoo his wins, but his wounds, too. My skin is starting to tell my story, and I’m finally okay with that.In this audio reflection:* Why we use “doing” as a mask for our pain.* The tattoos we carry (the stories our bodies tell).* Why the “Undo” requires us to stay in the boat when we want to run.* A reminder that you are someone worthy of being saved.Pull up a chair, leave the “fine” mask at the door, and join me in the stillness.P.S. If you saw my post yesterday with my new 'Stillness' tattoo, a friend joked that Maui might have been my subconscious inspiration. After listening to this, I think they might be right. We all carry our stories on our skin one way or another.I'm breathing through this with you. See you in the stillness,Jamie**If Maui’s story resonated with you or if you just love Moana and want to go deeper, you can find my short devotional exploring all of the characters in Moana here on Amazon. Get full access to The Weight of Stillness at weightofstillness.substack.com/subscribe