Whose story?
I just shared with a friend that it seems as if when I am ready I hear the same wise lessons from many sources. It also seems as if there are certain sages who make repeat appearances when I most need to hear them. One of those sages is Dr. Rachel Remen author of Kitchen Table Wisdom and My Grandfather’s Blessings. I have read and shared her books for many years. Recently she was the featured guest on the podcast “On Being”. This week she was the featured guest on another podcast “People’s Pharmacy”. She is a story teller – hers, her grandfathers and that of others. Stories often tap into the wisdom which is already within us – often the wisdom we share with others but fail to share with ourselves.
Many others preserve and tell the stories which will teach and heal.
The Reverend William Lupfer retold during his sermon which was broadcast on the Trinity Church’s website the story of Jesus and his mentor, his cousin John. We don’t always think of Jesus having a mentor as well as being one.
Michael and Carrie Kline who have longed shared stories of Appalachian folks via music and the spoken word have a new podcast “Talking Across America”.
Story Corps also continues to preserve the stories of you, I and our neighbors which are then archived in The Library of Congress.
My memory tells me (accurately or not) that many Native tribes clearly understood that we are our stories. Yet, all too often, we allow others to write and direct our stories. Dr. Remen tells the story of a woman who was in New York City and overheard another woman remark that a building was beautiful. The woman’s husband who suffered painful insecurity which he dealt with by putting down and abusing his wife told her she was stupid or something of that order. The woman who overhead that conversation spoke up and said that yes, the building was beautiful. That one remark gave the abused woman the courage to take charge of her story. The onlooker who spoke was a healer although she may not have known that of herself.
All of have to decide:
As a young man, I allowed other to write my script. The script might or might not have been a perfectly good story, but it was not my story. As long as I gave away that power I was not present. My behavior said to others that we should not live and tell our story. I used to wait for others to change both their story and my script. When they did not I would blame them for my unhappiness. My unhappiness often evidenced itself in my being emotionally needy, angry and a people pleaser. My story became to share those behaviors. At some point I heard the story of others who had the courage to be their own script writer – to live their story. Slowly I began to write and live my own story.
We are our story while, at the same time, our story is part of the web which connects the entire universe. Thus, it affects the story of all others; of the universe(s).
I need wise teachers and mentors just as I need to take responsibility for the fact that how I live my story is my mentoring role.
This is my story. Today I will own and live it to the best of my ability.
Written December 15, 2018
I just shared with a friend that it seems as if when I am ready I hear the same wise lessons from many sources. It also seems as if there are certain sages who make repeat appearances when I most need to hear them. One of those sages is Dr. Rachel Remen author of Kitchen Table Wisdom and My Grandfather’s Blessings. I have read and shared her books for many years. Recently she was the featured guest on the podcast “On Being”. This week she was the featured guest on another podcast “People’s Pharmacy”. She is a story teller – hers, her grandfathers and that of others. Stories often tap into the wisdom which is already within us – often the wisdom we share with others but fail to share with ourselves.
Many others preserve and tell the stories which will teach and heal.
The Reverend William Lupfer retold during his sermon which was broadcast on the Trinity Church’s website the story of Jesus and his mentor, his cousin John. We don’t always think of Jesus having a mentor as well as being one.
Michael and Carrie Kline who have longed shared stories of Appalachian folks via music and the spoken word have a new podcast “Talking Across America”.
Story Corps also continues to preserve the stories of you, I and our neighbors which are then archived in The Library of Congress.
My memory tells me (accurately or not) that many Native tribes clearly understood that we are our stories. Yet, all too often, we allow others to write and direct our stories. Dr. Remen tells the story of a woman who was in New York City and overheard another woman remark that a building was beautiful. The woman’s husband who suffered painful insecurity which he dealt with by putting down and abusing his wife told her she was stupid or something of that order. The woman who overhead that conversation spoke up and said that yes, the building was beautiful. That one remark gave the abused woman the courage to take charge of her story. The onlooker who spoke was a healer although she may not have known that of herself.
All of have to decide:
- Will l be the script writer for my story or will I allow someone else to be the writer?
- Will I take responsibility for how my story affects the story of others?
As a young man, I allowed other to write my script. The script might or might not have been a perfectly good story, but it was not my story. As long as I gave away that power I was not present. My behavior said to others that we should not live and tell our story. I used to wait for others to change both their story and my script. When they did not I would blame them for my unhappiness. My unhappiness often evidenced itself in my being emotionally needy, angry and a people pleaser. My story became to share those behaviors. At some point I heard the story of others who had the courage to be their own script writer – to live their story. Slowly I began to write and live my own story.
We are our story while, at the same time, our story is part of the web which connects the entire universe. Thus, it affects the story of all others; of the universe(s).
I need wise teachers and mentors just as I need to take responsibility for the fact that how I live my story is my mentoring role.
This is my story. Today I will own and live it to the best of my ability.
Written December 15, 2018
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