What's your story?

If there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that everyone has a story. While it may not be a Hollywood blockbuster set to score written by John Williams, it’s still there. This is a story that no one else has ever heard because this story can only be told by your own words about events that have only been seen through your eyes. The trouble is, we spend a huge amount of time avoiding neighbors and co-workers purposely just so we don’t have to tell a story that they might desperately need to hear. 

Sometimes the story doesn't have a happy ending and it may still have some blank chapters at the end, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth sharing. The stories that we bottle-up inside ourselves shove into the deepest areas of our heart are the ones that someone around you desperately needs to hear. Maybe it’s the experience of losing a family member or close friend that broke you to pieces, or it’s the loss of a relationship or job. Maybe it’s finding your life’s passion after years of a bitter and regret-filled life. Whatever your story is, whether it’s on chapter 3 or 80, it’s not meant for you alone. You see, my story isn’t just written by me. Everyone around me: family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers, people in my church, are all part of my story. Their experiences, laughter, tears, dreams, regrets and hope is what helps me see the world around me in a way that my eyes aren’t able to see, but only if they tell me their story. And just as my life is richer with their lives, I owe it to them to share my story. It’s not just my story and their story, but it’s our story.

 So what next? Don’t wait until you have a typewriter, don’t proofread over and over just waiting for the perfect words, and don’t wait until you complete three years of Toastmasters. Sit down and write or just talk to someone, but whatever you do, just share. So, what’s your story?