Ep. 24: The Hero's Journey - The Ordeal

Once upon a time, in a castle far, far away, 500 charming ladies and gentlemen attended a ball. They dined on fine food and swirled around the dancefloor as the candlelight flickered.

The story may not be too hard to imagine. But what if this story is different than those we’ve heard before?

What if this gathering was illegal and they had to meet in an abandoned castle for secrecy? The lights could have flickered because the electricity was failing. And perhaps they were only eating cheese sandwiches because it was all they could bring.

Then you could say that this isn’t a fairytale at all, but instead the story of those who dangerously tried to live out culture in a world that had gone cold and grey.

In today’s episode we met with Steve Janossy, a man who had no choice but to daringly create meaning in his life in a time ruled by a communist regime in Hungary. Alongside his two brothers, he decided they couldn’t wait any longer for the change they yearned so desperately for.

Steve and his daughter, Linda share stories of what it cost to be daring in a life that was stifling at best, terrifying at worst and provide inspiration for what it means to live out of that same journey today. They offer the solution through what their family calls the three B’s: the board room, ballroom, and backwoods. Three landscapes of intense interaction and self-discovery.

Through their stories and lessons, we learn that we can live heroically in any kind of situation. And we owe it to ourselves and the culture around us to do just that.

Listen to the full episode for more!