Telling Stories
Telling stories is at the core of true connection. It provides a view into how we make sense of the world by what we choose to talk about...
-The Miracle Collectors
We all tell stories. What changes over time is the stories we tell, which, in turn, is dependent upon the company we keep and the circumstances we find ourselves in. As Brene Brown likes to say, stories are just data with a soul, illustrated this week when Merrick Garland was asked why he was willing to be considered for attorney general of the U.S. He nearly broke down in offering his halting response, “I come from a family where my grandparents fled anti-Semitism and persecution, the country took us in and protected us, I feel an obligation to the country to pay back…” His emotional response told us something about him we didn’t know before that went beyond the data or the details of what he relayed, and it was powerful.
We miracle collectors are in a unique position to attract lots of soulful stories. However, I was surprised when I was being interviewed on a radio program this week in advance of next week's publication of The Miracle Collectors that the interviewer shared two miracle stories with me. One of the stories involved his beloved Irish grandmother, long deceased, who had a particular love for Irish Gaelic music. As he drove down a freeway, several car lengths behind a pickup truck with ladders on the roof, his usual rock and roll station all of a sudden launched into a lively Gaelic tune. This was so unexpected that in his excitement he sped up until he was right behind the truck. At this point, one of the ladders became dislodged, flying over his vehicle and landing well behind him. Somewhere, he is sure his car would have been were he not so energized by the music and thoughts of his grandmother. He is confident she was watching out for him.
Stories offer an opportunity to be better listeners. Most of us want to wait and hear the end of a good story. Unlike our usual discourse, where we interrupt and are thinking of what we will say next, stories offer up something more consequential and revealing. They are a window into who we really are and an invitation to learn more. Personally, I’d like to know more about the interviewer’s grandmother and his relationship with her. But then, I’m partial to Irish grandmothers. When we allow others the freedom of expression to share their own stories and be heard without judgement, we allow ideas and interactions to flow more openly. In short, we are able to find common ground and begin to connect with each other on a deeper level. (Katie)