Everyone has a story to tell, a touching tale capable of melting hearts and mending fences. But, as someone said to me recently, “Your story means nothing if you don’t tell it.” She wasn’t referring to me, nor my story, but to people in general.
Telling one’s story, though, requires a willingness to put oneself at risk. It requires a willingness to shed the protective layers we tend to wrap around ourselves to protect us from rocks that may not be thrown intentionally but that hurt just as much as the ones launched with malicious intent.
I think those who understand the vulnerabilities and risks associated with story-telling can help by making clear that they will listen—or read—without judgment; that any stories shared with them remain in confidence unless the story-teller explicitly grants permission to share them.
