Why would anyone want to step out of my life as a child?  It was just like the perfect world of American dreams depicted in Norman Rockwell’s paintings and illustrations.  I grew up during the later part of his era, and in fact, Norman passed away just two years after I graduated from high school.  My ordinary world, was just like Bilbo Baggins’ life in The Hobbit, comfortable, simple, and yet a rather boring life in Bag End.

But, like everyone who dreams of another world beyond, I dreamt from the time I was in seventh grade about doing things and going places far beyond little St. Joseph, MO.  I can remember as early as my Freshman year, asking my parents if I could leave and begin my journey somewhere else.  I didn’t exactly know what that journey would be, but I new there were was a vast world out there waiting for me to experience.  There were so many places I wanted to go, and things I wanted to do, that I couldn’t pick just one and pursue it vigilantly.  My mother used to always say, “You can’t have your cake and eat it too”. To this day I attempt to prove her theory wrong.

I believe that living in an ordinary world is great for a period of time.  I can stop there, rest, relax, recharge, and get comfortable by regularly playing with friends and family, but then something inside eventually harkens me back to my journey. Your journey doesn’t necessarily have to entail a change in your geographic location.  It can transpire by moving out of your home, your community, your career, and for many it can mean moving out of your own comfort zone.  But always, it’s roots delve in the insatiable urge to live out your passions.

Since the age of eight or so, I had dreams of achieving some really important things in my life.  I always had lots of creative ideas in my head- impressive things I wanted to accomplish, exotic places I wanted to go, and the admirable person I wanted to become.  I don’t think I’ll ever stop dreaming of what I would like to do next.

During my freshman year of high school, I began to realize that if I stayed in my ordinary world of St. Joe I would not accomplish any of the things that I had dreamed of.  Even when it came to intimate female relationships, I knew they wouldn’t last, as I was going places and had so many things yet to discover.

In The Walking Dead, both in the graphic novel series and the television series, Rick Grimes’ ordinary world was his life as a sheriff’s deputy.  He did his job every day, had a wife and son he loved, his best friend as his deputy partner, and a life that seemed okay.  Robert Kirkman, the creator, doesn’t give us much of a backstory about Grimes prior to the shootout that injured him, but the reader and viewer get enough to know that Grimes was working in a small town and seemed content with his life.

In terms of storytelling, I portend that Kirkman new that the character was going to awake into the apocalyptic world from a coma in the hospital.  So, dramatically speaking, it made sense to have Grimes’ ordinary life be as simple and mundane as possible.  You see, in story telling, writers typically figure out what’s going to happen to the characters first, and then decide what events transpired to get them there.  Look back on your own life and ask yourself, “Was my life ordinary before this dramatic event happened?”  It probably was. Now ask, “Did this event have to happen to get me out of my monotonous and boring life?”  Of course it did. So, if you are currently living in an ordinary world, chances are things are going to change whether you like it or not.  My advice, get ready for a dramatic event.