Wherever you find people you will find stories. They are not only woven throughout our history, they are our history. Across all of time and every culture we are united in the commonality of storytelling, though the tales told are often so different they are also much the same. Creation stories, family stories, tragic stories of death and destruction, uplifting stories of resurrection and rebirth. Myths, legends and legacies of heroes, villains, and creatures. Fairytales, parables, scriptures, biographies. There are many reasons for a story to be told; to reclaim, to persuade, to teach, to preserve. We tell stories as a way of connecting with ourselves, with each other and with the world around us. 

Everywhere we look there are stories being told, in many ways and for various reasons. They are shared in the form of song, movie, news, book, told around fires or as we’re tucked into bed. Sometimes we are telling stories to others, but often we are telling stories to ourselves as we try to find our place and make sense of the world. We seek to know our own story by learning our heritage, our identities, looking for our humanity. 

Some of us have learned the power of those who are telling the story, when our own story has been overwritten by other people. Stories have an amazing way of breathing life, and with that power comes a responsibility to honour those within the stories we tell. But sometimes stories are not told with honourable intentions. Information is power, to control a story is to hold power over those who do not have a voice. But as much power as there is to destroy, there is tenfold power to heal. To know your story and be able to tell your story is to know true strength. It speaks to the power of your deepest humanity. 

We all have our story. Whether you are just beginning, approaching the end, or lost somewhere in the middle, you are a story. Your story matters. The meaning you are able to make from your story is powerful, and the meaning you add to other people’s stories can be lifechanging. Maybe you are in a dark chapter, every great story has many of these. But remember, it is not the darkness that we remember in every story we connect with but rather the meaning we make from the experiences of suffering. The lessons learned and values built are strongest following a darkness we didn’t think we could bear. And the greatest heroes in our favourite stories have all overcome unbeatable odds. 

A story told enough times has the power to become the truth. Be mindful of this when considering the stories you tell yourself, especially those you tell about yourself. You always have the power to reclaim your story and write your own ending. Be sure to remember your power, because in the end all we have is our stories. Make yours a good one.