Life Stories

Stories and narratives have been very powerful in the process of evolution of mankind. Historically people have learned vicariously through narratives and chronicles. In some culture, there were people that were known as the wandering minstrels. They would go from place to place and narrate poetry, plays, imaginary tales or recount events that happened in different places. There were valuable lessons in these tales that people could adapt.

Stories are the stuff that cinemas, theatre and novels are made up off. I those form stories provide an aid to imagination and at times an escape from reality. Autobiographies are personal stories narrated to give people a perspective on a life lived in its ultimate challenge.

Most little kids are told or read stories, fables, fairy tales or mythological tales. Children implicitly learn a lot of social norms and behaviours from these. Parents also recount their lives and struggles and their parenting incidents to their kids. Couples share life histories and families share experiences. They are all handed down generation to generation in the form of stories. These provide a platform to express joy, anger, hopes, pain and unhappiness, satisfactions and dissatisfactions. Formal organizations share these stories in the form of scripts and written rules and regulations or as company orientations.

Most societies traditional had or still have an organized platform where people met up at the end of the day. This could be a pub, the town square, a coffee shop, a place of worship etc. People got together exchanged pleasantries, talked about their day and maybe also got a lot of unsolicited advice. But most of all everybody had a place where they were certain they would be heard.

Often when I met clients for psychotherapy…be they adults, children or senior citizens…the consistent impression I get is that most want to be listened to. They need time to talk to share and to connect. Very often the simple act of hearing them out without interruption and judgment becomes a powerful tool in therapy.

No matter how stories are shared or in what form they are vital to awareness, understanding and growth. I reckon that the more we listen to people and their unique stories the more we understand and the more we accept. This leads to an augmentation in our emotional and mental process which in turn can lead to more positive and functional behaviours such as patience and tolerance of diversity.

So what are we waiting for? Grab a cup of tea or coffee and tell your story…happy saying and happy listening.