Larry Daley saved the world. To be more specific, he saved the magical world of the museum.
I absolutely love watching the Night at the Museum movies. I can watch them over and over again. Its great clean fun and adventure.
This is a classic example of the Hero’s Adventure story.
Larry Daley just wanted a job - his last resort to getting joint custody rights for his son. He wanted something easy that he could just show up for. He thought he had an easy cop-out job as a night watchman. What he discovered was a new magical world of adventure. He found himself in a mission. After his first night on the job, when dinosaur skeletons came to life, Attila the Hun almost had him quartered and half of the exhibit was roaming the streets of New York, he was ready to quit. He planned not to show up the next night, and just slip away.
The refusal to the call.
When he realized that there was something to the magic, and only he could save this world, he returned. There was something he saw that no one else did, and it was up to him. He researched history and learned a little about Sacagawea, various wars and animal habitats. He even accepted assistance from Teddy Roosevelt.
He prepared for his mission – the return to the call.
He learned that the magic was in the golden tablet, and that the previous employees of the museum were planning to steal it, for their own gain. Suddenly, he felt the importance of it all. He fought to save the tablet, in order to keep the magic in the museum artifacts.
He protected the sacred item from falling into evil hands.
He had an amazing talent in negotiation, diplomacy and team building. With his charm and wit, he managed to tame a mischievous monkey, a primitive warrior, and win over the respect of a roman gladiator as well as a rebellious cowboy.
He discovered his inner genius.
Over the next two movies, he gathered his team, including General Custer, Amelia Earhart, Dexter the monkey and an Egyptian Pharaoh, to help save the museum. He used his quick thinking and trusted his instincts to work out the plan, always happening to slide through at the last moment.
He gathered his allies and used his intuition while trusting in an unknown force.
He fought many challenges and trials along the way, and felt like giving up at times. Still, he carried on. With no other way to turn; in the final movie, he confided to the museum curator about the magic, well knowing that he would be fired; in one final hope to get the tablet and the Pharaoh to London to save the museum. He needed to solve the mystery.
He held his dedication to his mission at all costs and was willing to do whatever it took to pursue his calling.
Okay, this is a fantasy story; and even so, ‘calls to adventure’ aren’t always as dramatic or clear. Sometimes they come as nudges. They’re not always big huge things or life changing events. They could be something small such as working more on your photography; perhaps starting to play piano; or maybe you suddenly feel pulled to help out a neighbor or volunteer for a local agency. It could simply be a new interest in something you want to pursue. It may not seem like much at first, but could develop into something more pronounced. Just pay attention to your nudges, and if they blossom into a full-fledged yank on the collar, be aware.
What's your call to adventure?
If this hits home to you in any way, or you have a parallel example to share, please feel invited to comment below. If you would like to know more, please email me at terri@terrihofstetter.com
"No hero's journey ever ends, and your next adventure is already happening. The moment you accept the call to adventure, the road of trials begins finding its way from your unconscious awareness into your consciousness, freeing and expanding your Imagination, helping you become the healing you hope to create." - Martha Beck
I absolutely love watching the Night at the Museum movies. I can watch them over and over again. Its great clean fun and adventure.
This is a classic example of the Hero’s Adventure story.
Larry Daley just wanted a job - his last resort to getting joint custody rights for his son. He wanted something easy that he could just show up for. He thought he had an easy cop-out job as a night watchman. What he discovered was a new magical world of adventure. He found himself in a mission. After his first night on the job, when dinosaur skeletons came to life, Attila the Hun almost had him quartered and half of the exhibit was roaming the streets of New York, he was ready to quit. He planned not to show up the next night, and just slip away.
The refusal to the call.
When he realized that there was something to the magic, and only he could save this world, he returned. There was something he saw that no one else did, and it was up to him. He researched history and learned a little about Sacagawea, various wars and animal habitats. He even accepted assistance from Teddy Roosevelt.
He prepared for his mission – the return to the call.
He learned that the magic was in the golden tablet, and that the previous employees of the museum were planning to steal it, for their own gain. Suddenly, he felt the importance of it all. He fought to save the tablet, in order to keep the magic in the museum artifacts.
He protected the sacred item from falling into evil hands.
He had an amazing talent in negotiation, diplomacy and team building. With his charm and wit, he managed to tame a mischievous monkey, a primitive warrior, and win over the respect of a roman gladiator as well as a rebellious cowboy.
He discovered his inner genius.
Over the next two movies, he gathered his team, including General Custer, Amelia Earhart, Dexter the monkey and an Egyptian Pharaoh, to help save the museum. He used his quick thinking and trusted his instincts to work out the plan, always happening to slide through at the last moment.
He gathered his allies and used his intuition while trusting in an unknown force.
He fought many challenges and trials along the way, and felt like giving up at times. Still, he carried on. With no other way to turn; in the final movie, he confided to the museum curator about the magic, well knowing that he would be fired; in one final hope to get the tablet and the Pharaoh to London to save the museum. He needed to solve the mystery.
He held his dedication to his mission at all costs and was willing to do whatever it took to pursue his calling.
Okay, this is a fantasy story; and even so, ‘calls to adventure’ aren’t always as dramatic or clear. Sometimes they come as nudges. They’re not always big huge things or life changing events. They could be something small such as working more on your photography; perhaps starting to play piano; or maybe you suddenly feel pulled to help out a neighbor or volunteer for a local agency. It could simply be a new interest in something you want to pursue. It may not seem like much at first, but could develop into something more pronounced. Just pay attention to your nudges, and if they blossom into a full-fledged yank on the collar, be aware.
What's your call to adventure?
If this hits home to you in any way, or you have a parallel example to share, please feel invited to comment below. If you would like to know more, please email me at terri@terrihofstetter.com
"No hero's journey ever ends, and your next adventure is already happening. The moment you accept the call to adventure, the road of trials begins finding its way from your unconscious awareness into your consciousness, freeing and expanding your Imagination, helping you become the healing you hope to create." - Martha Beck
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