Never Forget - Never Be Forgotten

This summer I took the opportunity to go for a walk with friends in the Smoky Mountains. We came to an old cemetery far off the beaten trail. It enchanted me.

Then I found a tombstone that rocked my soul. Granted the silk flowers are faded, they could have been there for 20 to 30 years or more. But this child died in 1879! Somewhere along the way, the story of this child was told so well that she was remembered and honored over a hundred years after her death. What a remarkable testament to the power of love and memory.

Never underestimate the incredible influence of shared memory to keep those we love and those who have gone before us alive in our hearts.

Given my experiences this year with personal story and my moments of reflection in this graveyard I can’t help but believe I am on the right course with Cherish|Bound. While I know full well the best way to share a story is face to face, I also know it’s not always possible. Now, more than ever before, we need tools to help us remember and be remembered. Our world moves at such a frantic pace that we sometimes go days without connecting with the ones we love. Most people will never tell a story from the stage. Yet everyone needs to know they are valued and loved. Everyone needs to know they are an important part of the story of our lives. Everyone needs simple tangible reminders that their time on this earth has mattered.

Picture this: Chaos reigns as wrappings are torn off and squeals of delight fill the room, except in one corner all is calm. Grandma has stopped unwrapping gifts and is reading a book! Eyes misty, a smile lingers on her lips as she looks across the room towards you. Your eyes lock as she tries to whisper a thank you. Words fail her - instead she clutches the book to her chest as tears spill over her cheeks. The room falls silent as all stop to watch this tender scene. Realizing she has their complete attention, Grandma opens the book and begins to read. Gifts are put aside as everyone leans in to hear the story.

Obviously, this is no ordinary book! It's a Cherish|Bound book created just for her. It’s filled with stories and images custom selected to honor her. This is not a fictional tale, it can really happen - I've seen it!

That’s why I’ve aligned myself with Cherish|Bound. They’ve got the tools you need to find, capture and share the most priceless moments of your life. This is more than a picture book, more than a digital scrap book – this is a STORY book. From story creation to publication I'm committed to helping you succeed! NOW is the time to create the books that will lead to magical gift giving moments.

Visit www.cherishbond.com then email me at teresaclark@cherishbound.com and I’ll get you started on creating your customized story books today. It’s not too late to make this holiday season be the one everyone remembers!

Never Forget - Never Be Forgotten

The Power of a Personal Tale

There’s an ongoing debate in the world of professional storytelling. It regards the use of personal story vs. sticking to the ancient folktales. The argument goes that the folktales have endured for centuries – thus they are tried and true – simmered down to the essence of what a tale should be - and are consequently most powerful for learning and telling solid story structure.

I agree they are powerful tools to use and maintain in the quiver of every storyteller. Most of my residencies and festival performances begin with such tales. However, I have come to believe that there is a hunger in the world that must be fed by personal tales. Perhaps it’s due to the lack of front porches and traditional sit down dinners, but it seems few are being heard or listening anymore. Humans are social creatures. If the opportunity to share personal experiences is blocked - community is harmed. This isn’t merely supposition on my part it’s based on actual experience.

I was performing at a festival accompanied by my 20 something daughter. I’d told folktales throughout the festival with positive results. I was feeling good about my performances, until my daughter looked at me and said, “When are you going to tell what you’re best at? When are you going to tell them a personal story?” I was somewhat taken aback, but I decided to listen to my story-savvy daughter. My next set I told a personal tale. This is the performance where people rose to their feet! From 3 year olds to 90 year olds, audience members lined up afterwards to thank me for sharing such a moving piece of my life with them. I was stunned.

I decided to take this exercise into the class room. Every residency I have done this year has been focused on telling personal tales. I’ve seen storytelling transform lives before, but nothing like this! The stories I’ve heard are amazing. I’ve heard a former gang member share the moment he realized his choices were destroying the friendships he cared most about. I’ve witnessed a pregnant fourteen year old tell how the day she became pregnant was the day she became invisible. I agonized with a student who told of a field trip to court the day her father was on trial. I’ve mourned with a 12 year old who shared the details of her grandma’s passing. I could go on and on.

My point is this. Everyone has experiences they need someone to listen to. Everyone has a vast supply of memories pushing at the floodgates to be shared. I’ve found starting the novice storyteller out with the sharing of personal tales has empowered them to begin in a place that is comfortable. I’ve also found that real community and trust is created when beginning storytellers share their lives with each other. Later, when they move on to folktale, they are better suited for guiding one another because of the trust that was formed before.

Ultimately, I think this is the way folktales evolved. Personal experiences shared within intimate circles which had staying power expanded and evolved in the retelling until they crossed continents and cultures and became traditional tales. Could it be the personal stories of today will become the folktales of tomorrow? Could it be the fabric of a successful community is woven first from the thread of personal story? I believe the answer is yes.

Everyone has stories they need to tell – let me help you tell yours!

Tell Me A Story

I was caught off guard by what I saw when I entered the 6th grade class room. 29 students looked up at me with eager anticipation, 1 student sat behind a wall. It was a make shift cubicle made from foam – core. It wrapped around his desk so he could see nothing from the front or to the sides. I’d never seen this before!


Every residency I lead begins with storytelling performance. The heart and soul of the power of storytelling is not just in the listening. The connections are made through the eyes and the heart. You may hear a good story, but the power of storytelling is not fully felt if you cannot make eye contact between the teller and the listener. I was not prepared to sacrifice this vital piece of my performance, so I requested the wall be removed. There was concern voiced by all the adults in the room. Jake had a habit of making inappropriate comments and actions and it was felt this wouldn’t change simply because I was telling a story. I implored them to let me try. The wall came down accompanied by several threats.

I knew what would happen, but they didn’t. The magic of storytelling is that it fully engages the imagination. Frequently, the student most likely to act out is the student most impacted by storytelling. Their powerful imaginations which often lead them into trouble are fully engaged in the imagery of the story. They forget to act out, because they are immersed in the pictures within their mind’s eye. In other words, they are swept away.






Jake was loyal to me from that moment on. He loved the storytelling and would work diligently on his tasks in order to be able to hear more stories. Even his work improved. Towards the end of the residency his teacher showed me a copy of his first draft and final draft of the story he’d chosen to tell and write. Not only was it more detailed and creative, the penmanship was dramatically improved. The teacher told me, “It’s obvious he’s really taken pride in this work, this is so amazing.”

I’m not suggesting that storytelling cured Jake’s problems, though I do think it opened some possibilities for him. I know the entire process had a transformative impact. At the end of my final day with Jake he handed me a picture he had drawn filled with flames and graffiti style writing which said, “We Will Miss You.” Then he looked at me with sad honey-brown eyes and asked, “Who will see me when you are gone?” The question took my breath away. I couldn’t leave him thinking the difference had been me. So we chatted about his successes of staying free of the wall during my residency. We identified the positive behaviors that had allowed him to stay engaged. Then I challenged him to continue those and reminded him that it was up to him to be seen.

While few students will be forced to sit behind an actual wall, I know there are many who stand on the other side of unseen walls. I’ll keep using my art to transform their lives and bring those walls down.

Advocacy

Advocacy - working passionately on behalf of a particular idea.

Years ago, I attended my first National Storytelling Conference. A lone girl from Idaho checking out a new community, I came with no friends or traveling companions. Late my first night on site I stumbled upon a room full of harried volunteers stuffing conference binders so they would be ready for the official start the next day. Up until that instant I had assumed the organization was a well oiled corporate machine - not a hand full of over worked and under appreciated staff and volunteers. It was a transformative moment for me. I stayed to help, and I’ve been doing so ever since.

Previously in the evening I’d heard others grumble and murmur about this short coming or that failing of the organization and the people running it. The rumors and discontent pounded over me like a raging water fall. I was stunned and disheartened. For a moment I bought in to the rumors, until I walked into that room. What I found was a collective of passionately committed people, warts and human failings and all, sacrificing self for the benefit of all.

Standing under a raging waterfall can kill you - stepping back to take in the larger view can open you up to breathtaking vistas. The hero’s journey is never one of ease. Indeed, challenges shape the hero. I’ve seen a lot of people come and go over the years when things didn’t go smoothly. Why quit? Why not stay and work to facilitate change? I don’t understand, I never will.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world” - Mahatma Gandhi