AKA Online Treats & Blog Introductions
AKA Every Post Tells a Story
I have been thinking about the power of story a lot recently. This is not necessarily new to me, but it does seem to be very prevalent in my thoughts these days. My focus on story began many, many years ago through conversations with dear friends and the gift of
this book.
Crow and Weasel weaves a story of friendship and growth and journey. It contains one of my now favorite quotes:
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| Did I just see...? |
“I would ask you to remember only this
one thing,” said Badger.
“The stories people tell have a way of
taking care of them. If stories come to
you, care for them. And learn to give
them away where they are needed.
Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive. That is why we put these stories in each other’s memory.
This is how people care for themselves.
One day you will be good storytellers.
Never forget these obligations.”
-Barry Lopez
Crow and Weasel
Through my love of reading and conversation, I absorb and/or share my own stories frequently. Lately I seem to be bumping into
story everywhere I go. Of course there is
Jude and her students telling stories with cloth and words in the comments section and on their own blogs.
("Hi everyone!") Just this week, emails were sent to me with links to an interesting
life story or
presentations by a large variety of storytellers.
NPR keeps me informed or entertained with art, book or music, daily news and life stories. I am remembering an audio version of
The Story Catcher by Jen Lee that I have listened to numerous times over the past few years.
Jen has the gift of stringing words together like a long-lost string of pearls, a family heirloom simple in its presentation, but with a story full and round and beautifully deep. I have been enjoying the stories on some of my favorite blogs (this post is quickly turning into a list of those most frequented places!) like,
this one where Leslie shares her art, garden, grandchildren and amazing dog. Every time I look at Atticus, I melt into those eyes! There is
Andrea who writes of her life in a variety of creative endeavours, including motherhood to two adorable boys. Her stories of mothering her son through some very difficult health issues speaks to me as a mother and helps keep humanity alive on the sometimes anonymous Internet and society in 2011. It is funny that the anonymous Internet can also be a window to stories in your own family as I read the blogs of
my sister and
my niece. There are the stories of
Deb, which pop off the screen with powerful color and life force that I am often uncomfortable expressing myself. She shares her life in poetry, photographs, art and projects that shout joy even through life's harder moments. She reminds me to look for the positive.
Karen inspires the positive too, with her amazing photography, her message comes through loud and clear. She inspired me to make a Mighty Life List and to include things that seem far out of reach or hold little possibility that I would actually be brave enough to do them. It is good to stretch. There is
Brene Brown who shares her story and those of so many more. Stories of pain, healing and empowerment that sometimes we avoid, but that need telling. Those kind of stories aren't easy to tell, but she does so brilliantly. There is the power of
story and cloth in healing for children, where ideas of texture and therapy go hand in hand. Now, I have come across another blog that intrigues me with the combination of
art and story and healing.
I am loving the way story can currently be shared. There is of course, the old ways which I fully support. The verbal storytelling or the sharing through the hand-crafted, lovingly made. But there are the new ways too, the mixed media of storytelling, through video, audio, photography, art, or music all combined in different variations and viewed or heard in their own ways. One of the storytellers I enjoy in this regard is
Amy Krouse Rosenthal. She is a writer, artist, video maker and a gatherer of people. She creates in a way that is inclusive, either literally or through inspiration. Amy is fun. It's good to have fun in your life.
Alas, I would be remiss if I did not mention the story encapsulated in snippets and quips of abbreviated language and photos in the world of social connection known as Facebook, where we can stay tuned into the daily lives of our families and friends with instant updates. The conversations that occur remind me of the back-and-forth banter of, what is known now as 'face time', that took place years ago when life was closer and slower.
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| Old shorts have a story too! |
If you have read this far, thank you. If you are wondering what was the point to this story... and you feel confused... me too! I guess it is my way of throwing a lasso around so many ideas, sources, and interesting folks and placing them in a corral so they can be easily found in the future. Don't you wonder what people
like about the sites they post in their 'blogroll'? I do. I wonder about the story. Now if I ever get to creating
my list of frequented blogs here at
pomegranate trail, you will know the background story! This is my way of sharing with my friends, family and online community. It is written pondering. Questions, comments and conversation welcomed!
If you travel to explore some of the many links I've included...
enjoy yourself
share with others
and come back to see me soon!
-Nancy
All photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2011
