November2016
WhatDoesItMeanToBe
ACommunityofStory?
WhatDoesItMeanToBe
ACommunityofStory?
Ourlivesarenotjustmadeupofstories;theyarealsomadebystories.Thismightbethemost
importantreminderofthismonth.Indeed,whoofushasn’tfeltcontrolledbyastory?Stuckina
story?Hopelessaboutthewayourstorywillendup?Simplyput,storieswriteusasmuchaswe
writethem.
Forinstance,whocan’trelatetothefriendthattellsusthatherfamily“clingstothestoryabout
howI’mtheclumsyone.”We’veneverseenourfriendtrip,notonce.Ordropathing,ever.Andyet,
somehow,whenshegoestoherparents’homeorbacktoafamilyreunion,shespillscoffeeonat
leastoneoutfit,stubsatleastonetoeandstumblesdownatleastonestep.Thereitis:thepowerof
story!
Orthinkaboutourcurrentstruggleswitheconomicorracialjustice.Theincredibleincomegapis
describedas“natural”or“theresultofcomplexglobaldynamicsoverwhichwehavelittlecontrol.”
Similarly,thestoryofraceinourcountryistoldwithan“entrenched”storyarc.Talkabouta
debilitatingwayoftellingthestory.
Solet’stellanewstory!Thisisthemessageofourfaith:Wehaveachoice.Ourstoriesarenot
predetermined.RememberthatoldtheologicaldebateourUUfore-fathersandmothersgavetheir
livesfor?SomesaidthatGodhadpredestinednotjustthebigstoryofhumanity,butourindividual
storiestoo.Someofuswereslottedforheavenandothersforhell.AndGodhadwrittenthelistin
ink.Nothinganyofuscoulddoaboutit.
“Well,”saidourspiritualancestors,“that’sabitharsh,don’tyouthink!”Forgetthisextremefatedrivenstory,theysaid.Freedomhasamuchbiggerrolethanwe’regivingitcreditfor.Godisnotso
muchtheauthorofthestoryassheisthemagicalmusethatneedlesandnagsustoputourown
stamponthenarrativesbeforeus.Inotherwords,wecomefromalong-lineofspiritualrelatives
whoagreedwithShakespearethat“Alltheworld’sastage,”butthenwentontoclarifythatit’san
improvshowtowhichwe’veallbeeninvited.
Sofateandfreedom?Thismonthismuchmoreaboutthetensionbetweenthesetwothanone
mighthavethought,leavinguswithquestionslike:Areyouanactorconformingtothescripts
handedtoyou?Orhaveyoufoundyourownwayofbecomingadirector,ascreenwriter,anauthor?
Howareyoustrugglingrightnowtoregaincontrolofthestorylineofyourlife?Howareyouand
yourfriendsworkingtoregaincontrolofthestorylineofourcommunity?Ourcountry?
Ormaybecontrolisnotyourwork.Maybeyourspiritualworkisaboutfindinganewstoryline.
Mayberetirement,divorce,illnessortheempty-nesthasclosedthebookononestoryandis
invitingyoutoleapintoawholenewnarrative.Doesthatleaveyouexcitedaboutwhat’stocome?
Scared?Abitofboth?
Whateveritis.Whereveryouareat.Don’tgivethestorylineaway.That’sthemessageofourfaith.
Andhopefullythegiftofthismonth.
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OurSpiritualExercises
OptionA:
RememberingtheWisdomofYourPlotTwist
Noonegetsthroughlifewithoutaplottwist.Unexpectedeventshappentousall:adeath,illness,a
divorceorlossofajob.Andit’snotalwayssomethingbad:wegetajobofferoutofnowhere,
stumbleintoloveorlearnwearepregnantrightawaywhenwethoughtitwouldtakeawhile.
Goodorbad,theunexpectedeventusuallycomeswithanunexpectedinsight.Animportantvalueis
clarified.Atruthiswritteninneonlights.Allthosemundaneworriesandtodolistsareputinto
perspective.
Butovertime,thatmomentofclarityoftenfades.Theplottwist’swisdomisforgotten.Ourresolve
toremembertakesabackseattothosedailytodolistsonceagain.
Thisassignmentinvitesyoutobringtheclarityback:
●
●
●
●
Reconstructandrememberthestoryofyourplottwist.
Maketimetomeditateonit,writeaboutitordiscussitwithafriend.
Findanobjectthatrepresentstheinsightofyourplottwist.
Placethatobjectinaplaceyouwillseeeveryday.
Cometoyourgroup,readytoshareyourplottwiststoryandtheobjectthatrepresentstheinsight
itgaveyou.Mostimportantly,explaintoyourgroupwhyorwhynotyou’vedecidedtokeepthat
objectinviewforlongerthanjustthismonth.
OptionB:
What’sYourWizardofOz?
Storiescompanionus.Mostofusfellinlovewitha“madeup”storyinourchildhoodwithoutwhich
navigatingourreallifestorywouldhavebeenastruggle.Forinstance,onesoulmattersmembers
sharesthatTheWizardofOzwasthatforher.Thatlionhelpedherseethatcouragecomesfrom
communitynotsimplyfrominsideofoneself.Thewitchandthewizardwarnedherabouttypesof
peopletolookoutfor.Dorothyhelpedherseethatanswersarefoundbyreturninghomenotjust
byleavingit.Allofthem—Dorothy,theLion,theScarecrow,theTinWoodsman,Toto—weren’t
justcharactersinachildhoodfantasybutcompanionsthataccompaniedherintoandthroughreal
lifeadulthood.
Whatchildhoodstorygavesuchcompanionsandguidancetoyou?Ourchildrenwouldsurelyname
HarryPotter.Forus,othernameslikelyemerge:LittleHouseonthePrairie,NancyDrew,Sherlock
Homes,TreasureIsland,TheLion,TheWitch&TheWardrobe,maybeevenTheLordoftheFliesor
DavidandGoliath.
Thismonthbringthatformativefictionbackintoyourheartandhead.Yourassignment:
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Identifywhichchildhoodstoryservedasyourguidingtale
&
bringinapieceofproofabouthowitinfluencedyourlife
Don’tmakethatsecondpartoftheexerciseoverlycomplicated.Your“proof”mightsimplybe
pullingthebookorvideorightoffyourshelfandbringingitin.Morethanoneofusarelikelytopull
outourLukeSkywalkerorPrincessLeiaactionfigurefromtheattic.Somewillsurelybringintheir
videocopyofIt’saWonderfulLife.Yetanotherofusmightbringinridingbootsandexplainhow
shetracesherloveofhorsesandherdeepself-lovebacktoBlackBeauty.
Thepointistosimplytakethetimetolookaroundyourlifeandfindsometraceofthat“fictitious”
children’sstoryinyourliteraladultworld!
OptionC:
YourSix-WordFaithStory
Six-wordstoriesareacommonexerciseinwriters’groupsbecausetheyvividlydisplayofthe
powerofbrevityandencapsulation.ThinkofCaesar’sfamousquote:“Icame.Isaw.Iconquered.”
(AnditwasonlythreewordsinitsoriginalLatin:Veni,vidi,veci.)
Thismonth,youareinvitedtoapplythepowerofpithinesstoyourspiritualjourney:
Describeyourpersonalreligiousjourney/storyinsixwords!
Here’ssomeinspirationfoundfromallovertheinternet:
“Seekinghimwholovedmefirst.”
“BornJewish.Discoveredbacon…stillJewish.”
“NomoreSundayschool.Sleepingin.”
“I’vefallenandfinallygotup.
“Fairytales.Thought.Deliberation.Reason.Awakening.Atheist”
“Prayedeverynight;nooneanswered.”
“Ipray.Sheanswers.Eachtime.”
“Brainwashed,manipulated,guilted,awoke,objected,rejected.”
“RealizedReality;ExpressedReality,ConnectedOthers”
“Filledtheemptiness;Emptiedthefullness.”
Cometoyourgroupreadytoexplainyoursixwordspiritualjourneystory.Andfeelfreetousea
fewmorethansixwords.
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OptionD:
What’sYourSentence?
Ifsixwordsisnotenoughforyou,trythisexercise.Authorandmotivationalexpert,DanielPink
advocatesdistillingtheessenceofyourlife’sstorydowntoonesinglesentence.It’safocusing
devicethatconnectspeopletoclearerpurpose.
Here’showPinkdescribestheexercise:
●
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw2xSdp4bOc&feature=youtu.be
Here’showclassroomsofchildrenandyouthtookontheexercise:
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrLdUzeymaI
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEpVaWZc-Ks
Afteryoucomeupwithyoursentence,figureoutawaytokeepitfrontandcenter.Carryitinyour
purseorwallet.Hangitbyyourdesk.Leaveitinyoursockdrawerorglovecompartmentinorder
tostumbleuponitwhenyouneeditmost.
Mostofall,usethisexercisetoaskyourself:DoIknowthepurposeofmylife’sstory?OrhaveI
allowedmylifetobecomeamuddleofmixedandundevelopedstorylines?DoIknowcentraltheme
ofmylifeordotheplotlinesofothersdictatemydays?
Cometoyourgroupreadytosharehowthecreationofyoursentencehelpedyouseeorembrace
somethingnewaboutyourstory.
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YourQuestion
Asalways,don’ttreatthesequestionslike“homework”oralistthatneedstobecoveredinitsentirety.
Instead,simplypicktheonequestionthat“hooks”youmostandletitleadyouwhereyouneedtogo.
Thegoalofthesequestionsisnottohelpyouanalyzewhatstorymeansintheabstract,buttofigure
outwhatadeeperawarenessofstorymeansforyourdailyliving.So,whichquestioniscallingtoyou?
Whichonecontains“yourwork”?
1.
Whatgenreisyourcurrentlife’sstory?Areyoulivingamystery?Anadventurestory?A
romance?Athriller?Areyouworriedthatyourstoryisnotinterestingenoughtobe
published?Isitahalf-finishedmanuscriptstuckinwriter’sblock?Areyouinthemidstofgoing
backandre-writingtheending?
2.
Whatstoriesdidyour“elders”passdowntoyou?Haveyoucaredforthemandpassedthemon
asthoseeldershoped?
3.
Whatstorydoesyourfamilyoforigintellaboutyou?Doesthattellingleaveyoufeelingseenor
misunderstood?Celebratedorunfairlycharacterized?Ifmischaracterized,whatareyourplans
togetthemtoreshapetheirtellingofyou?Orisyourtruestorybetterservedbyjustlettinggo
oftryingtochangetheirunfairone?
4.
Whodoyoutellyoursecretstoriesto?Iftheansweris“noone,”mightitbetimetofind
someone?(“Thereisnogreateragonythanbearinganuntoldstoryinsideyou.”~Maya
Angelou)
5.
Whenhasre-tellingorre-writingyourstoryhealedorsavedyou?Howmightre-examiningor
re-tellingapartofyourstoryofferyouhealingrightnow?
6.
Whatcurrentculturalorpolitical“story”strikesyouasdangerous?Howmightyoustepup
yourcommitmentandeffortstochallengethatdangerouslyfalsestory?Howmightyoudouble
downonmakingsurethatthetruestoryisknown?
7.
Howdoyouusestory?Whenyoutellstories,whatismostoftenthepurpose?Toconnect?To
entertain?Toheal?Toconceal?Toremember?Topasson?Toteach?Togainpower?To
saythanks?Wereyousurprisedbyyouranswer?
8.
Areyouhidingpartofyourstoryfromthepersonyousayyou“trustthemost”?
9.
Areyoufakingastoryrightnow?Areyoufollowingastorylinethatisn’treallyyou?Does
anyoneelsenotice?Doyouwantthemto?What’syourplanforbringingthisfalsestorytoan
end?
10. Whatstorydidyouwalkawayfrom?Allofusthinkaboutthatotherlife—thatotherstory—
thatweturneddownfortheonewehavenow.Whetheryouregretyourpastchoiceornot,
thatroadnottakendoesn’teverreallygoaway.Itcontinuestobepartofourstory.Doesthat
oldroadwantyoutoreturntoitandgiveitanotherlook?
11. Aretherepartsofyour“old”storyyouneedtoreclaimornotice,beforemovingon?Manyof
ourelderstoldus,“Youdon’tknowwhereyouaregoingunlessyouknowwhereyoucome
from.”Whenwasthelasttimeyoumadesomeroomforrememberingyourroots?
12. What’syourquestion?Yourquestionmaynotbelistedabove.Asalways,iftheabovequestions
don'tincludewhatlifeisaskingfromyou,spendthemonthlisteningtoyourdaystohearit.
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RecommendedResources
Asalways,thisisnotrequiredreading.Wewillnotanalyzeordissectthesepiecesinourgroup.
Theyaresimplymeanttocompanionyouonyourjourneythismonth,getyourthinkingstarted,
andmaybeopenyoutonewwaysofthinkingaboutwhatitmeanstobeacommunityofstory.
Story
Definition:anarrative,eithertrueor
fictitious,inproseorverse,designedto
interest,amuse,orinstructtheheareror
reader;anarrationoftheeventsinthelifeof
aperson;areportoraccountofamatter
Synonyms:tale;account;chronicle;
narrative;fable;myth;autobiography
WiseWords
Therearenotruestories;wearemakingup
everyoneofthem.~PemaChodron
Thereareonlytruestories.Weare
discoveringthetruthinthem.~Christina
Baldwin
HiddeninallstoriesistheOnestory.The
morewelisten,theclearerthat[universal]
Storybecomes.Ourtrueidentity,whoweare,
whywearehere,whatsustainsus,isinthis
story.Thestoriesateverykitchentableare
aboutthesamethings,storiesofowning,
havingandlosing,storiesofsex,ofpower,of
pain,ofwounding,ofcourage,hopeand
healing,oflonelinessandtheendof
loneliness.StoriesaboutGod.Intellingthem,
wearetellingeachotherthehumanstory.~
RachelNaomiRemen,KitchenTable
Wisdom
Ifyoudon'tknowthekindofpersonIam
andIdon'tknowthekindofpersonyouare
apatternthatothersmademayprevailinthe
world
andfollowingthewronggodhomewemay
missourstar.
~WilliamStafford,fromhispoem:"A
RitualtoReadtoEachOther,"
Thereisnogreateragonythanbearingan
untoldstoryinsideyou.~MayaAngelou
Listeningissoulwork.Itcanhelptheliving
findthemeaningtogooninthemidstof
tryingcircumstances,anditcanhelpthe
dyingacceptthebrevityoftheirlives.
Withoutlistening,therecanbenostory.And
withoutstories,wecannotcompletethe
unfinishedworkofhealing.~RichardStone,
TheHealingArtofStorytelling
Storiesaretoldasspellsforbindingtheworld
together.~JohnRouse
Thinkabouteverymemorialserviceyou’ve
attended.Whentheyreadtheeulogyabout
theperson’slifeandaccomplishmentthatis
justthe“what”oftheirlife.Thethingpeople
wanttohearatamemorialservice,thething
thatbringscomfort,stirsmemories,invites
tearsandlaughter,arethestories.The
novelistEdmundWhitesays“whenaperson
diesalibraryisburned.”Thestoriesbecome
the“how”ofalife,andthatishow,overtime,
werememberthepersonwhoisgone.~Liz
Hill,SoulMattersminister
Thetruthaboutstoriesisthatthatisallwe
are.~ThomasKing,TheTruthAbout
Stories
Thosewhotellthestories,ruletheworld.~
HopiProverb
Storytellingisdangeroustothosewhoprofit
fromthewaythingsarebecauseithasthe
powertoshowthatthewaythingsareisnot
permanent,notuniversal,notnecessary.
Havingthatrealthoughlimitedpowertoput
establishedinstitutionsintoquestion,
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imaginativeliteraturehasalsothe
responsibilityofpower.Thestorytelleristhe
truth-teller.…Wewillnotknowourown
injusticeifwecannotimaginejustice.Wewill
notbefreeifwedonotimaginefreedom.We
cannotdemandthatanyonetrytoattain
justiceandfreedomwhohasnothadachance
toimaginethemasattainable.~UrsulaK.Le
Guin
Ispentmywholelifedeeplyconnectedto
spiritualityandfaith–Ievenpreachedthe
homiliesatbothmyconfirmationmassand
myhighschoolbaccalaureate–butInever
evenimaginedmyselfinreligiousleadership
untilIexperiencedmyownfemaleminister.
Thepriestsofmychildhoodhadcreatedin
methislimitingstoryofwhatministers
lookedlike,whattheyknewandtalkedabout
andcaredabout.Whichistosay,they
certainlydidn’twearskirts,theyweren’t
feminists,ormoms,theydidn’tstudy
performanceartorappreciatequeertheory,
orqueeranythingoranyone,anddefinitely
didn’tlovepopcultureorfashionasmuchasI
did,anddo.Butthensuddenly,Idiscovereda
newstoryinmyfemaleskirtwearingfeminist
minister.~Rev.Haley,SoulMatters
Minister,fromhersermon,TheDangerof
aSingleStory
Researchconsistentlyshowsthatstories
moldus.Themoredeeplywearecastundera
story’sspell,themorepotentitsinfluence.In
fact,fictionseemstobemoreeffectiveat
changingbeliefsthannonfiction,whichis
designedtopersuadethroughargumentand
evidence.Studiesshowthatwhenweread
nonfiction,wereadwithourshieldsup.We
arecriticalandskeptical.Butwhenweare
absorbedinastory,wedropourintellectual
guard.Wearemovedemotionally,andthis
seemstomakeus[opentoseeingeachother
andlifeanew].~DavidZahl
Videos&Podcasts
“TheDangerofaSingleStory”
byChimamandaAdichie
Ourlives,ourcultures,arecomposedofmany
overlappingstories.NovelistChimamanda
Adichietellsthestoryofhowshefoundher
authenticculturalvoice—andwarnsthatif
wehearonlyasinglestoryaboutanother
personorcountry,weriskacritical
misunderstanding.
http://tinyurl.com/jobdkb9
Readalsothisexcellentreflectioninspiredby
Adichie’sTEDTalkbySoulMattersminister
theRev.Haley:http://tinyurl.com/jjybb59
Twoorganizationsthatcollectstories:
StoryCorpandTheMoth
StoryCorps’missionistopreserveandshare
humanity’sstoriesinordertobuild
connectionsbetweenpeopleandcreatea
morejustandcompassionateworld.
https://storycorps.org/
TheMoth'smissionistopromotetheartand
craftofstorytellingandtohonorand
celebratethediversityandcommonalityof
humanexperience.https://themoth.org/
“Wearethestorieswetellourselves”
byShekharKapur
Wheredoescreativeinspirationspringfrom?
AtTEDIndia,Hollywood/Bollywooddirector
ShekharKapur...pinpointshissourceof
creativity:sheer,utterpanic.Hesharesa
powerfulwaytounleashyourinner
storyteller.
http://tinyurl.com/j6vxok7
“TheDanceofStorytelling”
byIshAitHamou
Ishwrites,directsanddancesstories.His
life'sjourneyofstorytellingpushesthe
boundariesandcreatesanewandimportant
art:"thedanceofstorytelling".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s7Ghrzx3E
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Articles
“TheStoriesWeTellOurselves”
byTerriSchanks
“Thestoriesofaperson,afamily,aculture,a
country—theyholdus,bindusinways
whicharepotentiallyfruitfulorharmful,and
giveusanidentity.”
http://www.onbeing.org/blog/the-storieswe-tell-ourselves/7634
NeilGaimanonWhyScaryStoriesAppeal
toUs,theArtofFearinChildren’sBooks,
andtheMostTerrifyingGhostsHaunting
Society
https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/03/20
/neil-gaiman-ghost-stories/
“TellMeaStory”byRichardHamilton
“Ourbrainsseemwiredtotrytoseekouta
narrative.Itishowwemakesenseofthe
world.”
http://www.dailygood.org/more.php?n=583
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Movies&Television
Boyhood
Epicintechnicalscalebutbreathlessly
intimateinnarrativescope,Boyhoodisa
sprawlinginvestigationofthehuman
condition.
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/boyho
od/
BigFish
Ifyoucomefromafamilyofstorytellers,
there’snobetter(orworse)waytocelebrate
thetraditionthanbywatchingBigFish.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/112778
7-big_fish/
TheThinBlueLine
Yes,it’scalledadocumentarybutthisisreally
oneofthebestdetectivestoriesyou’llever
encounter.Agreatadventureintohowdeeply
wecanbelievethatwepossessthe“truthof
thestory”butstillbewrong!
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/thin_blu
e_line/
MonumentalMyths
TravelacrosstheUnitedStatesina1965
AirstreamTrailerasfilmmakerTomTrinley
visitshistoricsitesandmonumentsunveiling
themanysidesofhistorynottoldonthe
landscapeorinhistorybooks.On-camera
appearancesbyHowardZinn,JamesLoewen,
LonnieBunchandAdam"FortunateEagle"
Nordwall.Inspiredby"LiesMyTeacherTold
Me"and"APeoples'HistoryoftheUnited
States."
FullMoviehere:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQIMrw
8gSVQ
TheUntoldHistoryOfTheUnitedStates
ThereisaclassifiedAmericawewerenever
meanttosee.FromAcademyAward®winningwriter/directorOliverStone,this
ten-partdocumentaryserieslooksbackat
humaneventsthatatthetimewent
underreported,butthatcruciallyshaped
America’suniqueandcomplexhistoryover
the20thcentury.Fromtheatomicbombing
ofJapantotheColdWarandthefallof
Communism,thisin-depth,surprising,and
totallyrivetingseriesdemandstobewatched
againandagain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNM9lO
FRgCI
http://www.watchseries.ac/serie/The_Untol
d_History_of_the_United_States
Race:ThePowerofanIllusion
“Inproducingthisseries,wefeltitwas
importanttogobacktofirstprinciplesand
ask,Whatisthisthingcalled"race?"-a
questionsobasicitisrarelyraised.Whatwe
discoveredisthatmostofourcommon
assumptionsaboutrace-forinstance,that
theworld'speoplecanbedividedbiologically
alongraciallines-arewrong.Yetthe
consequencesofracismareveryreal.”
http://www.pbs.org/race/000_General/000_
00-Home.htm
APrairieHomeCompanion
Acelebrationofthepowerofstorytelling.
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/prairie
_home_companion/
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TheFogofWar
Asadbutmesmerizingexplorationabout
howpowerandwaralmostalwaysleadsone
totwistthestory.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fog_of_
war/
StoriesWeTell
Familiescreatetheirownnarratives.Stories
arepassedonfromgenerationtogeneration,
andinthiswaythepastcontinuestolive,but
itcanalsobeobscuredordistorted.Family
argumentsoftencomedowntowho"owns"
thenarrative,orwhichversionisdecided
uponasthe"true"one.SarahPolley's
fascinatingdocumentary,"StoriesWeTell,"is
ostensiblyabouthermother,DianePolley,
whodiedin1990.Apowerfulandthoughtful
film,itisalsonotwhatitatfirstseems,which
ispartofthepointPolleyappearstobe
interestedinmaking.Canthetruthever
actuallybeknownaboutanything?
http://storieswetellmovie.com/
Books
TheTruthAboutStoriesbyThomasKing
“Storiesarewondrousthings.Andtheyare
dangerous."InTheTruthAboutStories,Native
novelistandscholarThomasKingexplores
howstoriesshapewhoweareandhowwe
understandandinteractwithotherpeople.…
Withwryhumor,Kingdeftlyweavesevents
fromhisownlifeasachildinCalifornia,an
academicinCanada,andaNativeNorth
Americanwithawide-rangingdiscussionof
storiestoldbyandaboutIndians.…King
remindsthereader,Nativeandnon-Native,
thatstorytellingcarrieswithitsocialand
moralresponsibilities."Don'tsayintheyears
tocomethatyouwouldhavelivedyourlife
differentlyifonlyyouhadheardthisstory.
You'vehearditnow."
http://tinyurl.com/jd2gz25
TheWorldIsMadeofStoriesbyDavidR.
Loy,aBuddhistwriter
Inthisdynamicandutterlynovel
presentation,DavidLoyexploresthe
fascinatingpropositionthatthestorieswetell
—aboutwhatisandisnotpossible,about
ourselves,aboutrightandwrong,lifeand
death,abouttheworldandeverythinginit—
becometheverybuildingblocksofour
experienceandofrealityitself.Loyusesan
intriguingmixtureofquotationsfromfamiliar
andless-familiarsourcesandbriefstandalonemicro-essays,engagingthereaderin
challengingandilluminatingdialogue.…
ReminiscentofZenkoansandworksof
sophisticatedpoetry,thisbookwillreward
bothacasualreadanddeepreflection.
http://tinyurl.com/jf9x56l
EverythingIsIlluminatedbyJonathan
SafranFoer
Withonlyayellowingphotographinhand,a
youngmansetsouttofindthewomanwho
mightormightnothavesavedhis
grandfatherfromtheNazis.Accompaniedby
anoldmanhauntedbymemoriesofthewar,
anamorousdognamedSammyDavis,Junior,
Junior,andtheunforgettableAlex,ayoung
Ukrainiantranslatorwhospeaksina
sublimelybutcheredEnglish,theyoungman
isledonaquixoticjourneytodiscoverthe
truthofanother’sstorythatendsuphelping
himseethetruthofhisown.
LifeofPibyYannMartel
WhenPiissixteen,hisfamilyemigratesfrom
IndiatoNorthAmericaaboardaJapanese
cargoship,alongwiththeirzooanimals
boundfornewhomes.Theshipsinks.Pifinds
himselfaloneinalifeboat,hisonly
companionsahyena,anorangutan,a
woundedzebra,andRichardParker,a450poundBengaltiger.Soonthetigerhas
dispatchedallbutPi,whosefear,knowledge,
andcunningallowhimtocoexistwith
RichardParkerfor227dayswhilelostatsea.
WhentheyfinallyreachthecoastofMexico,
RichardParkerfleestothejungle,nevertobe
seenagain.TheJapaneseauthoritieswho
interrogatePirefusetobelievehisstoryand
presshimtotellthem“thetruth.”Afterhours
ofcoercion,Pitellsasecondstory,astory
muchlessfantastical,muchmore
conventional—butisitmoretrue?
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KitchenTableWisdomand
MyGrandfather’sBlessings:Storiesof
Strength,Refuge,andBelonging
byRachelNaomiRemen,M.D
InMyGrandfather'sBlessings,RachelNaomi
Remen,acancerphysicianandmaster
storyteller,usesherluminousstoriesto
remindusofthepowerofourkindnessand
thejoyofbeingalive.
AboutKitchenTableWisdom:Thisremarkable
collectionoftruestoriesdrawsonthe
conceptof"kitchentablewisdom"—the
humantraditionofsharedexperiencethat
showsuslifeinallitspowerandmysteryand
remindsusthatthethingswecannot
measuremaybethethingsthatultimately
sustainandenrichourlives.
http://tinyurl.com/js5na5h
Listofbooksforchildrenandfamilies
aboutstory:
https://amzn.com/w/66JE9U4CP03W
JointheSoulMattersCommunityonFacebook!
https://www.facebook.com/soulmatterssharingcircle/
©2016-17SoulMattersALLRIGHTSRESERVED
PacketsareforusebymembercongregationsoftheSoulMattersSharingCircle.
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