Story, a word composed of five letters, but this word can describe a short tale or a long epic. A story can be a word for a fable or fictional tale, but it can also describe the events of a person’s life. The power of story can change the world.
Story and Storytellers:
I’ve always enjoyed a good story. Ghosts stories, tall tells, folklore draw me in and I LOVE listening to a good storyteller weave the story together. There are many types of storytellers. They make the story come alive in different ways. Some write and take a written words and make them a story. Other storytellers transform words on a page into story as they read they imbue the text with life. Some storytellers take the things they have experienced and give them new life and power as they retell them. They have the power to make life into story.
I’m drawn to storytellers because when they write or speak they draw me into the story. They imbue the words with meaning, shape, and dimension. I’ve sought out good storytellers in my life because I enjoy the art and the story. In fact this blog post would not have come about without storytellers.
You see I recognize that story is powerful and storytellers are important. I’ve learn to support they many types of storytellers and to realize that everyone can be a storyteller. Everyone has a story to tell and should be encouraged to do so. I learned this at the start of the year. You see I had been listening to the Stuff I Learned Yesterday podcast for a while. It is a short weekday podcast where people share facts and stories. I had been contributing to they Friday Forum with some of my own stories. But the power of story came alive to me when I became one of the hosts of the podcast at the start of the year.
Each of the hosts takes the events of life and spins them into story in their own way. We take common events and lessons and share the story with our own flavor. We have become storytellers and it is a daunting task. We each spend time crafting the story for the medium and the audience. We don’t do it to be famous and or puff ourselves up. We tell our story so that we can, hopefully, help and encourage others. We have learned the power of story as we have told our own stories.
This blog post came about because of a SILY episode I did about storytellers. The topic is rich and I wanted to share more. So take a listen and come on back to this post. SILY Episode 449- Storytellers
How The Story Has Power:
In my mind, there is one thing that transforms words into story. What is the power, that makes words a story and gives it power to impact things? The power lies in PEOPLE. As you read above, storytellers take words and make them a story. But also the best stories have power because they tell about human life.
One person sharing their story is powerful. You may think that your life is boring. You may think that no one could get anything out of your life. You may think that your story is not finished and is confusing to you. Well you are wrong!
People need to hear your story. Your story is powerful because, when you share, your words go out and people can read and hear them. Those words hit their lives and open peoples minds. The words hold a mirror up to their own lives. All that comes, when you tell your story. The power of people telling their story has caused revolutions, given people hope, and saved lives. But the power comes only after the storyteller opens up.
So please be brave. Don’t worry too much about if people will want to hear what you have to say. Don’t worry too much about technique. Don’t worry about messing up, stumbling and falling. We all fall, we all fail, and we all mess up. FAIL is an acronym for First Attempt In Learning. So please be brave and tell your story. Don’t hold back, because people need to hear your story. Your story has power because you are telling it and it has power because others will hear it and it will change their lives. The power of story is in the telling and the hearing. But neither will happen unless we take the first step. So be brave and take the first step.
“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” - JRR Tolkien, The Lord of The Rings
If you don’t take that first step of telling the story, we ALL loose! So be brave, one step at a time. Sit down one on one and open your mouth to share your story. Pick up your pencil or pen and write that first word. Put your hands on that keyboard and type that first word. So be brave because the power of the story comes with AFTER you begin the tale. Be brave and tell your story!
Recommended Resources:
Stuff I Learned Yesterday podcast
Lore podcast
Serial podcast
Cody Elisabeth’s Written Thoughts
Mz Wemzie - Processing With My Fingers
Common Sense
