The Story Teller
At the heart of every story there lives a story teller.
Listen in to your heart
as a child listens to her favorite story –
anticipating every word
carried by every emotion
wide open to surprise
and you will hear the Story Teller
telling your story.
“Once upon a time”
Begins a timeless story
In the heartlands of our lives
Where there is room for all of us
To nestle into our Creator God
who loves stories.
Author Unknown
A copy of this little poem has been in my possession for years, passed along to me from a friend. This week it has been open on my desk where I have read it more than once.
What flashed before my eyes today was the opening of the movie Princess Bride, as a tender scene unfolds between a grandfather and his grandson who is home from school, sick with a cold. The boy is in bed and his grandfather begins to read him a story. The relationship and dialogue between the two of them is priceless.The story opens into to an action-packed fantasy of adventure and comedy in a quest for finding true love. It’s a classic and one of my all-time favorite movies.
It reminds me of the power of story, how we get carried away into an-other world of characters who draw us in to the story's unfolding.
Well, my story today is not nearly as entertaining but afforded an experience that lingers in my heart and mind. Recently, an opportunity presented for a day of service volunteering at a local community garden. I spread the word and a few colleagues responded and joined in the fun. This event was sponsored by the Sisters of St Joseph Justice Center whose mission is, “We listen and articulate the social justice concerns of the “dear neighbor” to energize and empower people to be agents of change through advocacy, consciousness raising, prayer, action, and direct services.”
The day was alive with birdsong, flowers blossoming, and everyone in good spirits overflowing in friendliness. It felt great being outdoors as the volunteers shared about their collaborative efforts for the common good of the community. We went to work harvesting vegetables, tilling soil, planting, fertilizing, and adding to the compost pile. It was great fun to be together in the sunshine sharing in a common goal.
This felt so healing after the long dry spell of living through the pandemic and the after effects of so much isolation. My spirit was lifted and I find myself laughing more, especially about my foibles. It feels good to laugh.
Research shows (Duke University sessions n resilience) that helping others provides lasting feelings of well-being, significantly more than doing something good for one self (although self-care is important too). This was not my motivation, rather I am on a quest to experience love in action in simple yet profound ways. I left with the warmth of belonging and a sense of connectedness with our dear neighbors and gratitude.
Liz Sorensen Wessel
Note: The Princess Bride: The grandfather was played by Peter Falk and his young grandson, played by Fred Savage.
