The Story
The last line of your story “Do you trust me?” elicited a reflexive response in me. I was deeply touched, and suddenly protective. That type of instant-on response has happened with my children, but this was the first time it occurred within me toward my inner child.
Although not an immediate response I interpreted “Do you trust me?” as trusting the storytelling platform. I wasn’t looking to disconnect from the rise of emotion nor respond in a flight or fight reactionary way. The child within needed to see my reaction — he was thinking, ‘Does he care for me as much as he cares about his other kids?’
I believe this is the reason our stories can evoke qualitative emotional responses in others. We are not required to have the same experiences, we only need to share our experiences. Anchored in our willingness to express, our spirits speak to one another.
