To Tell A Story

 Story telling is an important aspect of human life. From the beginning we were told fairy-tales as we fell asleep, watched Disney movies in corralled control, and listened intently around the campfire as images of hooked hands and floating meat cleavers were told above the flames. 


As we grew up the stories still stuck around. Gossip written on the bathroom walls, teenage angst spelled out through rhythms and lyrics, and a developing understanding of the world that comes with time and only the slightest bit of maturity.



As we grow up further, stories still shape the way we learn. Amusing anecdotes told in class,  intriguing dialogue in movies and media, and daily conversations with the world around you. The importance of stories does not derive from its delivery however, it all stems from the message received.


Stories can make you laugh, cry, or yell obscenities. That's what stories are for though, to make you feel something. Forget the plot, characters, cast, lighting, narrative, perspective, medium, credit, actors, and writers; forget it all. A story can only pass mustard if it makes you feel something, anything at all.

Stories are our way of subtly expressing universal feelings. Feelings of camaraderie, of cheerfulness, and zest for life. Feelings of anguish, despair, and loneliness. Stories have no limits to what they can tell, or no parameters to how they can be understood. Stories withstand the test of time and evolve as we evolve, and more times then not, the endings change.

So the next time your out telling your drinking buddies about your encounter with an angel, or standing in front of a faceless crowd selling your image, or chatting about your day with that special someone; think about what your doing, think of what your message is, and most importantly think about the story you are trying to tell.

 

-Brad