The Story of Story

I am currently obsessed by the idea of “story”.  Not the novels of Twain (in awe, not obsessed) or the latest Tom King run on Batman (impressed, but not obsessed) or the timelessness of Shakespeare (maybe a little obsessed).  It is the idea wherein each of us creates our own story of us - an autobiography of ourself that is written by a unique author and a biased researcher.  Each of those stories throughout history is entirely unique, not one the same as another.  We write our own chapters, every perspective unique to the individual protagonist, with a climax that always finishes with THE END.  History is rewritten to fit the narrative that we want and the chapters are arranged to make us each the hero of our own tale.  Facts are obscured and characters rewritten to revolve around a central theme of self.  Each tome is tailored specifically to the teller.  What a grand library - what a fascinating tapestry of tales.  In every narrative, there may be adventure, drama, romance, misery and mystery, tragedy and comedy.  And always, ever, a story that is worth being told.
               But before THE END
                               ...before the EVER AFTER
                                                         ...there is a ONCE UPON A TIME...