Living a Faith-Filled Life

Storytelling - Using Your Own Stories
By Linda E. Austin

    November is National Life Writing Month as well as Family Stories Month. In today's modern culture, storytelling has lost its place of importance. In the very old days, history, culture, religion, legends, stories and moral teachings were passed down through the generations by word of mouth. Even in our near history we still told stories around campfires or dinner tables or on the front porch. Today, we have storytellers for hire because we've forgotten how to tell the tales ourselves.

    Everyone, young and old, has stories to tell, but in these modern and busy times we often don't spend much family time together and when we do, we don't sit back and relax and reminisce. Reminiscing is for lazy days, and who has those anymore?

    Our generation must not only relearn the basics of storytelling, but learn to be aware of opportunities for the telling of tales. Since the days of gathering together to shoot the breeze are mostly gone, we've got to take advantage of those short moments when we are reminded of something in our past. We must learn to use the old "I remember when" or "when I was a kid" to bring up the interesting tidbits of our past which can then nudge the hidden memories of others. So often we think our own experiences are not worth telling, mostly because to us they are old news or something common to many. We don't understand that our old stories may seem new to other ears. Mostly we don't realize how our stories can turn us into three-dimensional people. Our children only see us as parents. Imagine their surprise when they realize that we had previous lives! Imagine their delight to realize that we were once younger and smaller and had adventures and got into trouble, too! And imagine the first-hand history they might learn about what times were like before they were born.

    There are many reasons to tell our stories. Perhaps the most important is that by sharing ourselves, we become closer to others. It is a way of bonding, not just people but generations. So during this month dedicated to the telling of stories, tell a few of your own-laugh, cry, be delighted. Life is short and each day a miracle. Don't let the stories be lost.

Linda E. Austin is the author of "Cherry Blossoms in Twilight: Memories of a Japanese Girl" http://www.moonbridgebooks.com