Storytellers Among Us
I have always been a storyteller.
These last few years, I have been building my life around being a storyteller. The more I tell my story, and the more I create space for others to tell their stories, the more I am infused with an awareness of storytelling’s impact. Sharing stories is critical for our connections, creating community, and the state of our mental well-being.
What defines storytelling?
Storytelling comes in a variety of forms. I am not speaking of specific, industry-defined, plot-driven narratives complete with a climax and resolution. I’m speaking of everyday storytelling. Of sharing your words, your experiences with the people around you. The story of what happened when you ran into an ex at the grocery store. Or the story of how your child was born. The stories that make up our lives and who we are.
The woman next to you on the plane, gripping her hands tightly during take-off, tells you this is her first plane ride, and she is terrified, but trying to get to a funeral.
Your co-worker, with a picture of his new dog, reflects on how this dog reminds him of the dog he had as a child, the one that ran away and never came home again.
The chiropractor, on a house call in your kitchen with a traveling work table, mentions that his son is receiving…
