We all experience different seasons in life, but do we truly accept each and every season? Do we try to move past our current season quickly? Do we dream about the Spring before we allow ourselves to experience the Winter?
Nature does not rush at all. It does not apologize for how long it takes. It does not apologize for its journey.
Then why do we rush our journey? Why do we feel that where we are right now is not good enough? Why do we think we get to skip any part of our journey?
This season has been a busy season. A season where it took so much effort to keep my head above water. Every limb felt numb. Over-tired and depleted. I was giving so much of myself everywhere and there was not much of me anymore. Was this the best time to take a Storytelling class?
Logically – no. Intuitively – yes.
And yes, my husband thought I was a little crazy.
But here’s the thing:
Storytelling allows me to reconnect with presence, community, creativity, gratitude, and my truth. To tell and to listen are both gifts. I knew committing to a class would keep storytelling active in my life. I knew a storytelling class would allow me to continue practicing and learning. And yes, I knew it was going to be tricky.
I had a moment this semester where I felt immense guilt because I didn’t have as much time as I would’ve liked to craft a story. In a sense, I had to “throw everything out the window” and do the best I could do, removing all pressure and expectations. I reminded myself that this is for my class and this is the place where I get topractice and embrace my journey – right now. And yes, I said to myself over and over again, “you can do it!”
It turns out this is a great recipe for getting out of your comfort zone and completely trusting your skills and creativity. Just as you are. I mean, don’t we all want to see what happens when we just get to play and see what we create without any pressure?
Before I told this story in class, I opened up with “I’m sorry. I’m not even sure if my story is finished.” After I told my story, my loving and uplifting teacher kindly reminded me to never apologize for any of my stories. I promised that day to never, ever apologize for a story that I craft, a story that I get to tell, a story that gets to be expressed through me.
Because this is where I’m at right now. This is the season that gets to tell stories through me – the busy, hot mess me. This is exactly how my stories are meant to be told at this moment of my life.
But most importantly, this is exactly what embracing our journey is all about. We embrace gratitude when life gets tough. We embrace self-compassion when we make mistakes. We embrace confidence when we doubt ourselves. We embrace the journey every single day.
And to be able to be in a class where not only I get to tell stories from where I am right now in my journey but also LISTEN to others tell and get to witness where they are in their journey, that is a true gift. And I know that’s why my intuition said yes to taking a class this semester.
Having storytelling in my life is always reminding me to embrace the journey. To be present with what is. To literally step outside and smell the roses. To take it ALL in.
Storytelling always reminds me to embrace MY journey. Because that’s the story that I get to tell.
(Photo credit: Angel Martinez)
Nereyda is a Mother, an Oral Storyteller, and Co-Owner of The Healing Tree Collective alongside her husband in Tempe, AZ. Nereyda believes in the power of collective healing and empowerment through story and enjoys telling about the journey of both womanhood and motherhood.\
Website: https://thehealingtreecollective.com/
IG: @thehealingtreecollective
IG: @nereyda.martin
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