So here I am in my early 60's and thinking of starting something new. By new I mean trying to do things that come from my heart, things that I feel passionate about and, hopefully things that will provide me with an income so that I don't always feel like I have to work for someone else, to do a job just to make money.
I have tried so many new things in my life, seeing myself as something other than who I am. I remember trying stained glass thinking I would become this incredible stained glass artist but that never happened. Most things I have been attracted to in my life centered around the creative process. Recently I was talking to a friend about all the things I have tried: quilting, stained glass, scrapbooking, photography, knitting, embroidery, sewing, beading. I am sure there are more things I have tried and some that I still do because I love them and I feel such joy when I am being creative.
Last year I participated in a workshop series called Heartrepreneurs which was for women who wanted to look at what they wanted to do with their lives and how to make that happen. In examining myself and what I felt passionate about the idea of story telling kept coming to the forefront. It wasn't about telling my own stories, although that was there as well; it was about helping women to tell their own stories, to reflect on who they are, what they are passionate about, what dreams they have. It is about recording the pieces of their stories, pieces that someone else may want to know like family and friends, pieces of herstory that should not be forgotten.
When this idea came up I thought about some of the characteristics of who I am, characteristics that I feel good about: caring, compassionate, a great listener, someone who would want to make people feel acknowledged, relevant. I knew from previous jobs that I have held that I was always good with people, that I knew how important it was to see someone, to hear them, and not judge them.
So now I have this new dream for myself as a storyteller. It feels like there should be a different word because I'm not really telling stories, I'm helping others tell their own stories but for now it is the only word that seems to fit. Truthfully, it's not about the word but about the process and the results.
I know I keep mentioning women but that is who I feel comfortable working with. I believe in my heart that so many women don't tell their real stories other than how they relate to being a wife or mother or daughter or sister, a role they identify with. I know that a great deal of women's herstory as been left out of history. I also know from my own experience the pain of having all these bits and pieces of family memorabilia and not knowing the story behind all those pieces.
So now I begin, Sam the Storyteller. I leave you with this quote:
"There's a world of wisdom in our personal stories. Your life is a legacy, a gift that
only you can give. Why waste something so precious."
Dolly Berthelot
Imagine the stories she could tell.
Imagine the stories you could tell.
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