The Story is Everything

Think of all the ways we tell stories; think of all the reasons we tell them. From "What I did on my summer vacation" to "It was awesome, you shoulda been there!" From "Once upon a time" to "In the beginning was the Word..." Our stories don't just tell what happens to us, they tell about who we are and what's important to us. I've been thinking a lot about the significance of "story" in our lives lately, thanks to the women who asked me to lead a morning retreat last weekend. (I learned that I'm much more comfortable putting things on paper than I am talking about them!)

We talked about our stories intersecting, those places where our paths cross. We become part of one another's stories, sometimes for life and sometimes just "for a season" as my friend and co-worker says. When our lives touch and relationships develop and our stories interesect, your story teaches me about myself, and a my story teaches you about who you are. We are so interconnected; we need one another to be who we are.

Music is moving - well, some music is moving - because I think it touches us somewhere inside and lets us see a bit more about who we are; helps us know our own story. Last night, a wonderful choir visited the church where I work and told THE story of our salvation. It's a group of folks some of whom have been singing together for thirty years, each spring presenting Easter cantatas to area churches. Each year the music is different and the story is told a little differently, but even so, I think by singing together, THE story and the stories of each other's lives become part of all the others. (The photo above is of the choir.)

Now that Eddie's Wake is at the publisher's and there's not a lot I can do to move the process along, I'm feeling like I need to gather my characters together again and get back to work telling their stories. I've learned that ultimately, in some deep and mysterious way, the stories of their lives are actually some part of my own story.

Oh, brother, this is getting too deep for me... my brain says it's time for bed. Until next time, may you find peace amid all the scary news we hear from all over the world these days!