Two people go through the exact same experience and end up in radically different places. Why? Because of their stories.
What happened to them before the experience? How did they view the experience while it was happening? What did they do with what they learned from the experience? The answers to these questions build out a person’s stories, the ones they tell themselves and the ones they tell others.
When you go out into the world, you are bound to have things happen. Some of them will be wonderful, and some will be awful. We can bear them all and make good use of each one by putting them into a story. Stories help us cope. They give us an outlet for celebration and for understanding. To write a story, we have to stand at the nexus of our experiences, past, present, and future. We have to be in the moment while also reflecting back and looking forward.
If we can tell a story that’s honest and helpful, then we have lived well.
Christa Avampato 