“What would Pa do?” I ask myself that a lot. What makes that question interesting is that the “Pa” I’m considering i snot necessariliy my own father (though I do use him as a model at other times). Rather, I’m thinking of “Pa” from Little House on the Prarie.
Why this “Pa” from a story instead of my biological dad? For the last two years I’ve been reading the Little House series to my daughter. She loves them, and so do I. The more I read them, the more impressed I am with Pa. He is consistently optimistic, remarkably industrious, wise, and joyfully patient in a variety of circumstances. Frankly, I feel like I lack these innate qualites in most of my life, and I want to be a parent like Pa. More to the point: I want my own children to remember me the way Laura remembers her parents.
That is why I ask “WWPD?” The fact that I would ask that question is a testimony to the power of story – it is also an example of the portential for stories to mentor us. Not only can they shape our sense of right and wrong, but they also help us make daily decisions; they influence our actions.
Christian readers may ask “why not ask WWJD?” Certainly I ponder that question at times, but as a parent that question is not practically helpful. Put simply: Jesus did not have biological children. Sometimes we need mentors who are fully human and only partly divine – more down to earth. Exposure to these kinds of mentors are one of many benefit of stories rooted in history.
