“When we read a story, we inhabit it. The covers of the book are like a roof and four walls. What is to happen next will take place within the four walls of the story. And this is possible because the story’s voice makes everything its own.”
― John Berger, Keeping a Rendezvous
Nothing can draw us in like a good story. Also at times nothing can be harder to escape. We tend to get trapped in our own mythologies, the stories we broadcast to ourselves for years on end. Somewhere in there is a cautionary tale not only about the stories we tell ourselves but the stories we expose ourselves to. Not only in books but in movies, plays and tv shows as well. Too often it seems that we fall into stories that we haven’t chosen. There’s way too many cool ones to visit to allow that to happen.
Today I had breakfast with some wonderful friends who among other things are narrative therapists. I told them how much the story prompt “What do you remember?” helped me and asked them for others that might prove equally inspiring. One friend looked at me and said “Canadian Customs”
“…?” I said
“Canadian Customs always gives a really great story prompt “Who are you? Where are you going and what do you have to declare?”
Wow… Just imagining how the answers to that can change from day to day or hour to hour. Just wow.
Blessings, G
Radient Mandala by G A Rosenberg
Phoenix Mandala by G A Rosenberg