I continue to be amazed that so many people are telling stories all over the country and the world. Who would think in this fast paced, media focused society driven by technology we would be telling stories and people are actually listening? Perhaps it is because we all have stories to tell and we love connecting through our similarities and even our differences. Maybe it is because it is a way to stop the world from moving too fast. It is a time for us to pause and listen to ourselves and to each other. It is a way to learn from each other.
Taking the class Personal Storytelling has made me realize that I tell stories all the time. They are not written out and practiced, but I have stories that I find myself passing along to younger colleagues, students, friends, family, and even strangers. When a discussion of husbands and marriage comes up, I tell the story of how I met my husband Doug over 42 years ago. It is fun to announce, “I married my husband because he was my ski instructor!”
It was 1975 and I was a young teacher. I had found an apartment I wanted to move into at a “hip” complex in the western suburbs of Chicago. Surprisingly, there was a ski hill as a part of the amenities and I thought that was so cool. I decided to take a downhill skiing class at the community college so I could ski on that slope. The lead instructor was this handsome single guy who I ended up marrying about 11 months later. I never moved into that apartment complex, but I did learn how to ski and I even became a ski instructor. Doug and I taught skiing and skied together for many years.
When we were first dating, Doug mentioned he wanted to learn how to sail. I bragged that I knew how to sail and had a sailboat. I didn’t mention the fact that it was a tiny sunfish and my sister and I mainly used it to go out on the lake, dump it over, and get guys in speedboats to come rescue us. The resulting goal was that they then took us water skiing! He was impressed that I had a sailboat and I teased him that was why he fell in love with me. After we got married we sailed in the summers and skied in the winters. We taught our kids how to ski and took many ski vacations. We also sailed together and our kids still enjoy boating to this day. We since have owned ten sailboats and still sail almost every weekend. We even lived aboard a sailboat for two and a half years!
Why do I tell this story? I guess it is to share that as a couple you have to have mutual interests to survive and flourish. Marriage is a lot like skiing – there are easy runs and hard runs, lots of ice and also moguls. But those days with beautiful white powder and glorious sunshine make it worth skiing through all the rough patches. The bottom line is that my husband and I enjoy being with each other and doing things together, maneuvering the rough patches as a team because we know those sunny powder days are worth it. We are friends, partners, and lovers all rolled into one. That is what makes our marriage great. I guess telling the story about how we met and grew as a couple, by doing activities like skiing and sailing, paints a picture for others.
It might be that we tell stories to relive great times, or to remind ourselves of who were and who we are today, or to help others. Whatever the reason, storytelling is its own art form. It holds hope and promise for both the teller and the listener. Whatever the reason, storytelling is an art form that is flourishing. It holds hope and promise for both the teller and the listener.
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