I TELL because I believe human beings need connection. We all want to connect with one another and to our humanity. Stories help us make connections. We need to know and feel that we are one. As a storyteller, I take you on emotional journeys with stories. I make characters come alive and audiences experience emotions that help them identify with the story and with each other. When people experience storytelling, they are experiencing their humanity.
I TELL to contribute positivity to our human existence. There is a story of a little bird lying on his back with his legs up in the air, feet flat towards the sky. An elephant comes along and asks, “What are you doing?” The little bird says, “I heard that the sky might fall and I’m ready to do my part if it does.” Elephant says, “You’re such a little thing, doing a little thing. Do you really think you can hold up the sky?”
“Oh no, not all by myself, but everyone should do what they can and this is what I can do.”
So, I use storytelling to do my part.
I TELL to encourage. Once a friend asked if I would tell stories at her three-year-old’s birthday party. I was hesitant because it’s difficult to corral a room full of excited party kids. She told me that he specifically asked for a storyteller. So after that, how could I refuse?
It was a success! He and his little friends were enthralled and when he came up to help tell one of the stories, he was a shining star!
I visited a school in Japan and told stories to students and their parents. Through an excellent translator, I told the story of The Boy Who Drew Cats (Aaron Shepherd’s version.) At the end, a woman came and thanked me. She said, “You gave me encouragement to continue my work.” What does she do? She makes cakes - only one kind of cake; just as the boy in the story liked to do only one thing - draw CATS. She did only one thing; he did only one thing. The boy was successful and gratified and so was she.
I TELL because of the wonderful people I meet. We come together and become part of each other’s story. I feel rich with stories and rich with the people who appreciate storytelling.