Whether we like to admit it, everyone enjoys a good story. Think about how excited we get when someone enters a room screaming, "Yo, guess what happened?" We can't wait to hear what comes next.
How about when a friend returns from a first date? Most likely, our first question will be, "How'd it go?"
We all love a good story. But what is a story and why is it important to everyone?
Stories convey values and emotions. It can expose true feelings about a topic or experience. Personal narratives can aid in the formation of strong bonds between multiple individuals who, at first glance, seem to have nothing in common. Conversely, sharing those personal accounts can develop into powerful networks.
When we reflect back on our own personal chronicles, it can lead to developing internal resilience. Clinical therapists use the knowledge gained from their clients' interpretations of adversity and hardships to assist in the process of recovery.
Whether fact or fiction, storytelling is a natural form of human communication. How we choose to express our truths make us distinctive.
There's no limit to how storytellers will show up. We've evolved from the early griots of Africa, to the bards of the Hip Hop Emcee. We have the ability to communicate stories through the instrumental rhythms of primal drums, to the intricacies of jazz trumpets. Great wordsmith poets have bathed us with the written and/or spoken word as well as that of the master literary works of celebrated novel authors.
We have transformed from hieroglyphics to graffiti. Storytelling can appear in art in the form of sculpture, comic books, paintings and modern day graphic art.
Next to the songwriters of music, standup comedians are arguably the greatest storytellers of our time. Comedians have mastered the art of converting aspects of our lives into verbal pictures in the shape of humorous satire and social commentary.
We all find our distinctive devices to storytelling.
I personally discovered and fell in love with the art of storytelling through 1970's comic books. I owe my literacy to DC and Marvel comics. The artwork drew me in, but it was the creativity of the written word that held me captive.
From that point, reading, writing, and drawing became my destiny and passion. As I grew older and evolved as an artist, I decided to create my own characters and develop my own fictional statements, loosely inspired by my experiences and the world around me. Hence, the eventual birth of Sunjata and all the other characters that reside within the realms of the Kitsitra Universe.
Storytelling is a vital form of communication, used in communities and society as a whole. It is a mechanism we employ to camouflage messages, allocate entertainment, and impart knowledge. Stories bring meaning to our lives, sometimes validating our experiences. It connects us to our spiritual selves, and to those around us.
As it relates to health care, specifically Mental Health, stories can be utilized for the purpose of educating, information and personal insight. During a therapeutic session between clinician and client, personal stories aid in shedding light on aspects of our health and welfare. Greater understanding of the human experience can be achieved, if we embrace the concept of Storytelling.
The beauty of stories is, it is purely subjective. It can alter overtime, based on your current perspective on the topic, your environment, your social situation, and/or your influences.
Stories can be used to celebrate life, triumphs and survival, and build on the resilience of the person sharing the tale. It is a powerful tool to support strength and healing.
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