The Importance of Stories

I truly believe that stories are what connect us as one people.  During times of joy, sadness, confusion, excitement or periods of transition, stories let us share and experience a part of each other’s life journeys.  Stories help make us feel whole and gain a sense of nourishment that can only come from human connection.  We truly are a social species who need each other to survive and more importantly thrive and find our purpose on this Earth. 

Stories allow us to learn about each other and our unique views on life.  They give us the opportunity to share a part of our genuine selves with another person in hopes of imparting wisdom, gaining comfort or developing a bond.  When I think back on my fondest childhood memories or the periods of great change in my life, stories are always at the center.  I remember being told stories about my parents’ childhoods and feeling closer to them, seeing them for their inner child rather than solely as a parental figure.  Hearing how my parents or other relatives and family friends handled their periods of change such as graduating from high school or trying to get into a career path made me feel less insecure about the unknown and uncertainty of my own future. 

Stories allow us to cope with the unexplainable losses and tragedies in the world and thus begin the healing process when all hope seems lost.  During high school, I lost my grandparents on both sides, the 9/11 attacks happened and my brother’s good friend and his father were killed in a car accident.  There were days when it seemed like the world was becoming a negative place and the positive light that once shined through me, excited to take on the future, seemed dim, about to be put out forever.  However, stories, especially stories of hope, kept me alive.  They rebuilt my strength and faith in humanity and taught me invaluable lessons about the fragility of time and life.  They taught me that it is okay to be happy, it is okay to laugh and smile and move forward with life in spite of the losses.  That, in actuality, it is the most important thing one can do to honor their loved ones lives and use the experience as a stepping stone for growth and a deeper understanding of love and compassion.  To never take anything or anyone for granted because we never know just when a person will be gone from our lives forever. 

Stories allow us to remember loved ones and pass on familial and cultural traditions so that future generations can experience the magic and memories of people and things they were not yet alive for.  My middle name was given to me after my great grandmother who passed away before I was born.  Though I never personally knew her, I feel as though I am connected to her through the wonderful stories I heard growing up about how amazing her blueberry pancakes were and the way she was known amongst her friends and family as having such a kind and giving heart.  Living here in the pacific islands has blessed me with amazing stories from native Hawaiians and other pacific islanders about their history, language and culture.  Some of these ancient cultures only live on through the stories that people tell and pass down generation to generation.  It is so sad for me to think that some of these amazing stories have already stopped being told and are lost forever.  We must keep storytelling alive so we can preserve and appreciate the cultures and peoples that have come before us. 

Above all else, I believe that stories help us make some sort of sense of this truly confusing and unknown path of life that we are all on together.  Knowing that there are other people out there (whether you know them personally or not) who have gone through similar experiences really makes a difference when we are going through a challenging, rough patch of our own.  I think the internet has expanded this story-telling world even further and I find it fascinating that you can connect with and learn from people who you may never meet in person and whose backgrounds are very different from each other.  Stories show us that no matter how different our lives may seem, we are all connected in our humanity and ultimately we will thrive together or crumble alone.