“People are hungry for stories.”
Studs Terkel

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and
a light unto my path.”
Psalms 119; 105

When Alex was really little, just a baby, There was one story called the Lion and the Mouse from Aesop’s fables that I just loved telling him. It was tremendous fun because when I came to one point in the Tale, I would slow down to make it more dramatic and Alex would laugh with delight, almost beside himself with joy. He couldn’t understand the words, but he knew that something exciting was happening — and he was part of it all!

That’s one of the wonderful gifts that stories give us: They make us part of something bigger than ourselves. Think of some of the classic stories that you loved as a child: The Wizard of Oz, for instance, Alice in Wonderland, or even a tiny tale as simple as Peter Rabbit. Each of these wonderful adventures carried us beyond ourselves out into the world where we were able to experience both fascination and fear at a safe distance. We were free to be both part of the story and yet apart from it.

This, to me, is one of the sweetest, most endearing, aspects of the work we do. As storytellers, we weave the words that make sense out of the world. We help people find their way and anchor their longings with hope and faith. Our stories reassure them that others have gone before them and experienced loss, pain, sorrow, joy, disappointment, heartbreak, and healing. With stories to guide us, inspire us, warn us, and embolden us, we are free to fly. Write on!