Our diverse lives become our story and we are the hero protagonists. During this epic journey we gain life lessons, personal growth, memories and anecdotes and become resilient. Stories being what they are affect the teller and listener, appealing to our senses and emotions, impacting and connecting us.
Telling our story can be powerful and transformative. The teller’s stories can be therapeutic, entertaining, educating, instilling morals, or inspiring. Likewise, the listener plays an active role in the process. By actively engaging with the teller’s story, they hear their perspective and understand them better, creating a moment of compassion or an epiphany.
Moreover, stories are a powerful form of human communication and an effective way of translating ideas. Told in myriad forms – from everyday conversations and self-disclosure to the splendour of films and the stress reduction of books. They exist in the enchantment of fairy tales, the wisdom of myths, the laughter of jokes, the thrill of gossip sharing and the inspiration of biographies and memoirs. Not forgetting the influence of the media and social media. In effect, stories’ diversity is a testament to their universal appeal and endless possibilities.
The transformative power of good storytelling can inspire hope while engrossing its audience. Furthermore, it can teach us about life and ourselves, change our attitudes and perceptions and help us understand and appreciate other cultures.
Captivated by compelling stories, the more formidable the struggles as the protagonist overcomes obstacles and becomes the victor. Similarly, there are stories of friends and family courageously battling a disease or their challenges of adversity. The battle scar of life seemingly makes that person more resilient, interesting and wise.
Stories also have the power to give us profound epiphanies. A classic, is West Indian parenting. Often criticised for its strict disciplinarian principles. Yet, a story of such parenting can lead to insight, vowing to understand our children better by allowing them more freedom to express their personalities and get to know their values, beliefs, hopes and dreams. Equally essential and valuable, parents should recount the story of their lives to their children. When they, too, were children, youngsters, and adults. Thereby, the children can learn about their parent’s good, positive, bad or negative experiences and develop an understanding to foster a good relationship, initiating a mutual understanding.
The 50-plus black women’s blog is, in effect, my inimitable story, enjoy.
As the saying goes, “We all have a story to tell.”
