Viewing the World through a lens of Story
Storytelling- a collective holding of the record of a place, event, culture. We often relegate storytelling to the realm of children, but I invite you to receive more story into your life. This art isn’t only for tucking your children in bed- it can change our perceptions of the world around us and deepen our relationship with Nature outside and within.
Consider: a walk through the forest. It’s a gorgeous early spring day, the kind where the sun is shining, the wind is a bit chilled- just enough to invigorate the life force within. You’re walking the path, viewing the trees and wild growing things while the cacophony of birdsong surrounds you.
What is your purpose here?
Perhaps it’s to move your body for mental or physical health; maybe you’ve got an eager pup on the end of a leash; maybe you’re out for a break from another Monday in the office.
Where is your mind?
Are you writing and rewriting to do lists for the “real world”, rushing through this walk, eager to check another box in a day, year, life full of checked boxes, filled with an underlying subtle longing for attainment of bed and, finally, sleep at the end?
Now, together, lets s h i f t.
Pick up your glasses, the special ones that arrived on your doorstep tied in a simple piece of cloth, wrapped with twine, no note, but a subtle sense of remembering bound around them. Let’s call these glasses the Lens of Story. Let’s put them on and wander together.
As your gaze widens beyond what’s immediately in front of you, you notice an almost imperceptible shift. The birdsong- maybe a tiny bit louder. You find yourself wondering: what are these birds talking about? How does their communication work? They seem so joyful- are they singing in a new day with gratitude to exist in this beautiful place? Are they seeking a mate- bonded for a season or for life? Perhaps they’re warning off that owl, the one you only now remember calling in this space along the river when you were here last week. In these ponderings, you feel more connected to the birds, their song, this place they inhabit. A tiny spark, barely more than a wisp of smoke and flame, ignites in that knowing space deep within.
You continue down the path, noticing for the first time the subtle differences in tree bark- some rough and dark, others pitted, one running with sap that sends your thoughts in a new direction. What happened to this tree, working so hard to repair itself? The sap runs down, sticky and slow and containing a special kind of magic- the kind found in noticing small things and the deep life force within the tree. As you wander (because yes, now you’re wandering, meandering- perhaps even exploring?) the to do list fades away. Your attention shifts to that which IS- what is existing alongside you, the tiny stories buried in the leaf debris, the silent gasp of new life popping through the soil, the interconnection of the tree roots + mycelial networks and soil. You start to feel a deep thrumming and wonder how you never noticed its existence before. Your mind wanders to what was here before- was this a seabed in ancient times? Who lived here, along these riverbanks, deeply connected with this land, with the art of noticing and story and belonging.
Check in with yourself here. Center your attention on your heart, your breath. Maybe find a patch of soft, springy moss or vibrant, welcoming chickweed to settle down and listen inward. Feel your own sense of belonging deepening as your storied lens takes your mind on adventures you’ve never considered before. Realize that now, you are no longer a visitor, an outsider walking through. You have begun the process of listening, of seeking to understand, of honoring the stories that moss holds and birds sing. You are connected, part of this Nature, affecting it and affected by it.
You arise and continue on your walk (your wander), breathing the crisp spring air bit more deeply into your lungs as you notice and notice and receive the hidden stories contained in the life breath of the Earth. Welcome, welcome to the real world🌱
