WHY WE SHOULD KEEP STORIES ALIVE
A thought about storytelling
The question surrounding the importance of stories has come up a lot in my life lately. This question arose as I was reading my six year old son a grim tale. And as I recited Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, a group of 8th graders glared and casually asked, "Umm, why are we reading this?" (And might I add they said this about ALL of the books).
The answer is simple...LEGACY.
We can't rely solely on history books and artifacts to fully understand who WE are. We inherit more than what is transient. The stories that we all pass on are our collective legacies. And if you think that your story has already been told or spoken, think again.
So go ahead...tell your story.
Whether it's a small anecdote in passing; like I love to tell my son about the time I battled a New York City rat that climbed its away into my apartment. Your story can be told through your trade. It can be through your form of expression, fashion, art, wherever your neurons take you. And alas, there is always the traditional form, my favorite of all: writing.
After all, its stories that make us who we are and that keep us alive long after we have passed.