Telling a personal story is challenging – one can’t rely on a time-honored folktale or myth that has been told in a million different ways. One has to dig deep, and disclose something that is humorous, enlightening, heartwarming or downright sad. Not an easy task, at least for me. It takes a different type of commitment and crafting, as well as some real attention to emotions, then and now.
The first personal story I told in a formal setting was during my Storytelling I class. I told a story that transported me right back to my 10 year-old self and the summer before 5th grade. It was fun to re-live the adventure, and climb back into the innocence and excitement of childhood in the 60’s. I told it in my child’s voice, with childlike descriptions and language, and it was very well received. I would like to tell it again – to anyone who wants to hear about life in the “old days.” I learned from listening to Donald Davis that when one tells a tale in the authentic voice of one’s own experience, it will be most recognized by the listeners. It made me realize that there are many stories within my memory that will provide material for years to come. I just have to go exploring in my own head!
The second personal story told in Storytelling II was more difficult. I went back farther in memory, to a time when I was very small and fascinated, if not a little frightened by the world I found myself in. It was a difficult time for my family; one that included divorce, a major move, very little money, and a parent who was most likely reeling with the overwhelming responsibilities and circumstances she was thrust into. All I could do was tap into my feelings from way back in my memory, and remember the joy I was able to remember, despite some of the “awfulness” of the time.
My crafting of the story and the telling revealed that I have chosen to paint a picture of the small snippets of happiness that exist within the resilience of childhood. Perhaps it has taken over 50 years to find forgiveness for some rather dismal parenting, and to recognize that not everyone is equipped emotionally to handle the needs of small children. I felt a responsibility for the audience and myself – to find the light within the darkness and to cherish the moments when a child reveals a true and pure heart.
My story is still a work in progress, having only been told once. I feel it has potential, however, to become better and more meaningful to the audience and to my own memories of a bygone era. It is still raw in many ways – particularly in the face of revealing some not-so-nice aspects of my family, but also in the “showing” of flawed characters trying (though not always succeeding) to do the right thing. I want to be sensitive to those I would not wish to harm, yet still explore the very real mistakes that people make in times of stress. That is how I chose to represent the story.
The overall experience of telling personal stories is worth the inherent difficulties. The analysis of personal reality, given time and experience to season, is a way to look within to find the stories that will resonate with listeners. The opportunity to see a nod or smile, or a tear wiped from the face, remind me of the power stories have to move us to truly feel and live – even in the moments of another family, in another time. We are not so different.
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