Stories

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Stories

People's every day stories. Sure, the over-sized, outrageous, jaw-dropper of a story is fun to hear. But it is the tale of every day life that has me endlessly fascinated. I love hearing them. If you've spent any time on the virtual sofa here in the Den, you know that I like sharing stories, too.

Everyone of us has a story to tell. You may not think so but every single one of us has had an experience, or two, or two hundred, that is unique to us. Those stories are worth telling and there are myriad ways to tell them. Besides the written word, there are two standouts for me for story telling:

The Moth - this radio show / podcast of live story telling events is full of humor, bravery, sadness (but not in a maudlin, Hallmark Channel / Nicholas Sparks made-for-TV vomit-inducing way), hope, and achievement as told by the people who are telling their own stories. It's thought-provoking and well worth a listen. And yes, my Mittite friends, it is on public radio, but calm down, I'm not asking you to donate! Just listen and enjoy the beauty of the stories.

The Story Trek - once I got past the lady in her uber-Utahn accent closing out each show with the same tagline, I found I was really able to enjoy this folksy (there, I said it, folksy) television show. The host goes around the country and knocks on random people's doors and gets them to tell their stories. It beautifully highlights how each of us, no matter who we are, has a story. They are stories worth hearing.

My life story, like yours, is made upon a whole slew of stories; some funny, some sad; some long and drawn-out; and some that are 'quick reads.' I realize that the story we are all telling in this life is an ever-evolving one. Unlike a fiction writer, I can't write ahead or dictate what's going to happen to the characters. I can't hit the "delete" button either if a scene doesn't play out the way I might have liked. Frankly, those moments can make for some pretty good stories. I may never be brave enough to tell one of those stories on "The Moth" but I'm going to keep telling stories here.

Our different stories make us who we are. Imagine a world where we all had a better understanding of who we are. We may be a little less quick to throw down the hammer of judgement. We may just be better to one another.

Tell your story.