Let Me Tell You a Story

Stories have played a major role in all our lives.Most stories have some entertainment or
When we were small children we looked forwardeducational value. The advent of the internet has
to bedtime when we would hear a story from abrought us the genre of urban myths. People's
parent. If we were not so lucky, we would hear aneed to believe things is often proven by the
story at school. Those of us who went tocirculation of the most absurd stories, such as the
Sunday school heard stories from the Bible thatone about the rapist who got into the car of a
were meant to educate us, but often scared uslady who was putting petrol into her car, or the
into submission. Sadly the different layers of thevarious versions of the very ill children whose
Bible stories are hardly ever explained to us.parents need money for emergency treatment.
Emanuel Swedenborg provided interesting spiritualA very useful website to get to the truth of
explanations of various Bible stories. Refer to mythese myths can be found on my blog. We would
blog for a link to the website.do each other a favour by first researching even
Another fascinating website that sheds a differentthe most heart rending story before we circulate
light on the hidden meanings of the stories in thethem.
Bible is one where the author claims that none ofStories enable us to look inward and understand
the stories in the Bible are real or actuallystory patterns and characters that intertwine with
happened. Refer to my blog for a link to thethe hard-to perceive forces that shape our lives.
website.The stories also enable us to look outward,
And by the way, it is not a sin to read thesebecause story-threads join us to a larger cultural
websites and then decide for yourself what youfabric. The most important stories may be those
want to believe. God gave you a mind so thatwe share with family and friends. All stories help
you can use it to decide what is good for you.preserve memory, explain our present, and
Remember that what is good for you is notimagine our future. Stories that evolve across
necessarily good for other people, and it is not fortime bind individuals to families and families to
us to judge one another.society, defining our collective values, beliefs and
We all grew up with the tales of the brothersgoals.
Grimm. Those tales are seen today as fairytalesStories also connect us to the eternal Source of
for children, but they were originally meant forcreativity. Professional writers know that the
adults because each one of them contain a lessonmuse is a combination of discipline and inspiration.
that is much deeper than what a child would hear.That inspiration comes from tuning into another
Each one of these tales is a metaphor thatdimension that contains all the stories that we
explains a facet of life.could possibly want ' from Tolstoy's War and
And of course we are told stories every day onPeace to the Harry Potter saga to all the Bible
television. The soap operas are not real at all, butstories.
for some people they are a window into the livesHere are two lovely short stories that convey
of an imagined family. There are also variouslessons to us in a thoughtful manner.
series that make characters familiar to us and weThe first one is about the young boy that wanted
learn what to expect of the characters, like theto become the pupil of an old priest. The priest
heroes in science fiction or action movies. We alllooked in the eyes of the boy and realised that
have our favourite actors and actresses, becausethe boy was not going to live long. He decided to
they are masters at weaving a web that wesend the boy back to his family to die, but told
want to believe. Sometimes these soap operasthe boy to come back the next summer.
are used for edutainment (a combination ofA year later the boy was back, lively and happy.
education and entertainment) to conveyThe priest looked at the boy in astonishment and
important information on health or civil issues, andrealised that the boy was not going to die for a
this is more powerful than for example providingvery long time. Never questioning what he initially
written material to people that have difficultysaw in the eyes of the boy, he asked the boy to
reading, or providing verbal warnings to peopleexplain to him in detail what had happened during
that did not have the good sense to heed suchthe previous year.
warnings.The boy told the priest how, on his way home,
Stories are part of many different traditions. Thehe saw a colony of ants trapped on some high
stories of the Grimm brothers and comicground in the river. The boy found a long stick
characters such as Asterix and Tintin originated inand held it over the river so that the ants could
Europe.walk on the stick to dry land. His arms got very
There are also the tales of the Arabian nightstired, but he held the stick in place until the very
that reflect ancient life in the Middle East. Thelast ant had reached dry land. The boy then
Arabian Nights is a collection of Persian, Arab anddescribed the rest of the journey, but the priest
Indian folk tales that were handed down throughwas no longer listening. He had realised that that
the centuries. Legend has it that a beautiful ladyone single act had wiped out all the bad karma
called Scheherazade had to tell a murderousthat the boy had accumulated in previous lives.
prince a story each night to prevent the princeThat was why the boy was no longer going to
from killing her. The result is a beautiful collectiondie young.
of stories including the famous ones about SinbadThe second story is about two priests that were
the sailor and Aladdin.travelling together on foot. They came to a river
The Hassidic Jews have their own traditionalcrossing where a woman was standing, looking
stories. One of the disciples of the great Rabbifrightened. Brother Benjamin asked her: "Why are
Baal Shem Tov was lame. One day, this discipleyou looking so frightened? Can we help you?"
was asked to tell a story about his master. He"I need to get to the other side of the river", she
began to tell how the Baal Shem Tov used tosaid, "but I can't swim and am frightened that the
leap and dance when he prayed. The disciplewater will take me."
became so engrossed in his story that he stood"I can help you," said Brother Benjamin. The
up, and began to leap and dance as his masterwoman got onto his back and they waded to the
used to. At that moment, he was cured of hisother side. She thanked him and walked away.
lameness, and became completely healthy. ThereThe two priests walked in silence for the next
is a beautiful story called Let the story choosetwo hours. Brother Benjamin eventually realised
me that explains the healing value of stories.that Brother John was silent because he was
Refer to my blog for a link to the website.angry.
On the African continent stories often feature"You are very quiet, Brother John? Is something
talking animals that convey important lessons inbothering you?" Brother Benjamin asked.
life. Refer to my blog for a link to a website with"Is something bothering me! You swore a vow of
examples of these tales.chastity! You promised never to touch a woman!
Why are stories so important to us? We useAnd there you did not just touch a woman! You
stories to share experiences, understand eachcarried her on your back in a most indecent
other and create a sense of community. Parentsmanner! Shame on you. Shame on you!" Brother
use stories to bond with their children. Sages useJohn said.
stories to convey important life lessons andBrother Benjamin stopped walking and looked at
explain customs and values. People expressBrother John.
wisdom by means of a story. Stories are used to"Brother John," he said. "I put the woman down
break down barriers within and between groups.hours ago. Why are you still carrying her?