This has been one of the most exciting and challenging seasons in my life. I feel awkward writing a blog and don't feel as eloquent as others. It’s not that I don't have something to say about everything – it’s just that I’m a bit skittish.
This past few months have been a storytelling challenge and an intellectual feast in being exposed to new ideas and perspectives. Exploring Jack Zipes’ Why Folk Tales Stick and revisiting Arthur Frank's Letting Stories Breath require from me slow reading and rereading and rereading. They are exhausting readings at times but without a doubt relevant to where I am as a teller.
Our class is exciting because of classmates who bring fresh and new perspectives to old folktales. They have sparked a desire in me to make folktales relevant today, to craft them as entertaining teaching tools, and to still have a great time telling them. This is what motivates me. I’m not in it for the money, and I don’t want to be told what to tell if it doesn’t suit me. As Frank says, we have a moral responsibility to maintain our own integrity as we contribute to our listener’s inner libraries.
As I have learned to let my stories breathe, so too have I begun to breathe easier and with less anxiety. This is a process of taking risks and feeling good about it. This energy has spread to other facets of my life, and any time I really need any extra oomph I can get one.
I was blessed to perform in Return to the African Village this past February. It was spiritual experience, and a turning point for me as a teller and as an Elder. The entire week was magical and thought provoking and warmed my heart for the trials to come. As I take another deep breath, a smile crosses my face and I am grateful to belong to our global community of storytellers. Home and safety is just a breath away.
Mark Goldstein's photo at the top of the post shows Eva performing in this year's Return to the African Village.
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