Today, we're exploring one of the oldest and most powerful storytelling patterns ever created: the death-rebirth motif.

I also get into how we imitate the idea when it comes to personal crisis and national tragedy.

(IMAGE: Ultimate source unknown, but is meant to represent the legendary phoenix. If you own this image, please do not sue my ass. Just ask nicely and I can replace it with something else. Ya prick. Just kidding, you are probably not a prick...unless you threaten to sue me. Then again, maybe you'd only sue me because I wrote "you prick" here, in which case maybe I'm the prick. Oh well. Aren't we all just pricks in the end?)