Us and our wonderful stories


Us - yes, that's you and me and all those others - us.

And we all have a story to tell or a story in us we are told. Some of us choose to write them down, some choose to tell others verbally, some like to paint a picture of theirs and let others work it out. But whatever way, we love stories. Whether we read books or not, stories and story-telling goes on around us every day and has done forever. It's done by us and to us. Even if it's the answer to "How was your day dear" - maybe we elaborate just a little or make John's boring presentation at work just a little bit more boring than it was or perhaps we make out that the guy who made casual conversation with us at the coffee shop today was flirting outrageously with us:

"Really, he said that to you."

"Yes he really did say that - I could have taken it futher but he just wasn't my type."

You know exactly what I mean. You know because you've done it yourself.

Everyone's story is theirs. John's boring presentation to one person, could be the best thing ever heard by another. We place our own interpretations, experiences, filters and expectations on to the things we choose to tell others.

And then of course there are the stories we make up, the ones that we create from scratch, the ones that come to us just as we are drifting off to sleep or in the middle of doing the ironing. I'm always fascinated at the writing group when if we all receive the same prompt - whether it be a picture or a starting sentence or an object - we all come up with a different story. Our minds take us all on different journeys with different destinations and I love that.

So today let's celebrate us and all our stories - the exceptional ones, the ones that make us weep with joy, the ones that touch our heart, the ones that make us want to do something different or be someone different, the ones that frighten us and make our hearts beat a little faster, the routine ones and the boring ones, the ones told by magnificent authors and the ones that our mums told us when we were little. Let's celebrate them all because without them life would certainly be a much duller place.

If you'd like to listen to what inspired this post today, then check out the NPR Ted Podcast. I thought it was great and hope you do too.

NPR Ted Podcast





Comments

  1. Story telling have many uses....not only here ( getting to the end of the alphabet and many shared ) but often the base of history sharing, consider many of our aboriginal cultures that used stories or oral histories, Once in my work in the north had the privilege of hearing an Inuit elder share a local flood myth or hear the elder ladies chant during drum dances! Good post! Visiting from A_Z.

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    1. Sounds like you've had some wonderful experiences Bonnie. Many thanks for dropping by.

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  2. Nicely done Angela. You make a great point that appreciation can be relative and yet to try the unfamiliar. Enjoyed this.

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    1. Thanks Tonia. I appreciate you commenting.

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  3. Thanks for dropping by. I visisted your site too - really enjoyed it.

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