Storytelling is Good For You
Written by Mercat MD & Storyteller, Kat
A surprise. A scare. A comfort. A gift.
A film. A photo. A recipe. A song.
A dream. An escape.
A connection.
Stories are wonderful! Connecting humans across the world through the craft of storytelling is celebrated this week with World Storytelling Day - Mercat's Christmas, you might say.
A story needs shared to exist. It connects a ‘teller’ and a ‘listener’, comes to life and a fascinating journey begins.
To explain my thinking; the intentions of a ‘teller’, the message of a story and what’s ‘received’ by a listener can take a vast number of routes. Two listeners can hear the same story, told by the same person, in the same circumstances and interpret an entirely different meaning. Wonderful!
That means the power of a story lies in its journey between people. The really exciting, human connection comes AFTER its told because it stimulates discussion and disagreement – thoughts and feelings. Human responses that can occur across time and place and repeatedly. Wonderful!
As a Storyteller, the most profound experience I’ve had is to share a story then have it gifted back, returned through the words of your audience. I’m not important, nor is the story, really. What do YOU think? What do YOU feel? THAT’S the power of storytelling, and why its good for us.
A very happy World Storytelling Day to you. Share a story today and wonder how, when and who might return it to you (even if its just to get a boisterous wee one to sleep…).
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