December is a unique time of year that features a variety of holiday celebrations. It’s not surprising that stories surround the whole season. In movies, books and songs, the end of the year is full of stories about the true meaning of living and giving. Then there are also the life stories we share with family and friends, recalling the past year, looking forward to the next, and if we can pause in all the busyness, appreciating the gift of the present. Stories, both personal and cultural, allow us to understand our place in the world, and make meaning about how and why things happen.

Stories are also gifts, in a way, that can reveal something about ourselves, if we are open to them. Storytelling is a universal language that transcends borders, languages, and generations. It’s a thread that connects us all, reminding us of our shared humanity. Sharing our story can create a bridge that creates a sense of belonging, of being wanted, needed, and heard. Stories connect us.

Youth Poet Laureate Rimel Kamran writes:

The power of story rests in the heart of vulnerability and community.
Each individual bears a story, aching to be heard and to be recognized.
Stories are powerful because they foster connection and
plant the seeds for community to blossom.
Our own stories and the stories of others are windows to recognizing
how humanity is both broken and imperfect,
but through taking the time to engage in conversation with one another and
by listening to each other’s voices and calls for justice,
we can mend humanity’s wounds and create something beautiful.

Stories can be a catalyst for change, growth, and healing. Stories from our life journey allow a greater sense of understanding and appreciation of one other.

An individual story can tap into universal stories, connecting us to a larger self, a larger story, and shared truths of humanity.

How can each of us, in sharing just a bit of who we are, Add to the living, breathing, ongoing story of ERUUF as a community?

The threshold of the new year is often a time of reflection and remembrance. Stories are a way to explore and appreciate all of what has shaped who we have become. Stories are an invitation to remember who and what has touched our life:
The places and people that made an impression on our heart and soul;
The times of greatest challenge, the times of laughter and joy;
The gifts of the past, the promise of tomorrow.

As you move through the holiday season full of stories that may be comical or magical, pause and reflect on how the perspective of a story can illuminate or inspire something within you.

In sharing the gift of story, may we find ourselves this December:

Opening to the mystery of life,
Opening to one another with a welcoming heart
Noticing the dance of light and shadow, the play of past and future
Remembering to celebrate the gifts of community,
Remembering the one light that weaves through all of it.

Peace,

Daniel