Right Beside You

Last week StoryKeeping went to the Cancer Therapy & Research Center for their monthly S.N.A.C.K.S. lecture luncheon.  S.N.A.C.K.S. stands for “Some News About Cancer Knowledge and Support”.  Mary Jackson, Director of Patient and Family Services, invited me to be the featured speaker for their March ‘10 edition.  As in most of my endeavors, my aim was to make this thing fun.

As I walked up to the “CTRC”, I glanced off to my right and saw the blue-pastel high-rise Methodist Hospital where my life began roughly three decades ago.  ”Full circle,” I thought, “Perhaps this is the start of something beautiful, too.”  

I quickly shared some background about myself and how StoryKeeping came to be.  I again shared one of my favorite quotes:

There was never yet an uninteresting life.  Such a thing is an impossibility. Inside of the dullest exterior there is a drama, a comedy, and a tragedy.

- Mark Twain

I related to the group that Mark Twain’s words describe the driving force behind StoryKeeping better than I can explain my own business.  But I didn’t dwell long.  Because no one really likes being talked at, I put the lunch crowd to work.

“Write your name, today’s date, and the name of someone you care about across the top of your page.  You have an assignment today.  We’ll be using the next 10 minutes to write a story.”

The group had 3 topics to choose from:

• Something crazy that happened to you that most people may not believe
• A fun time spent with a best friend that you’ll never forget
• Your favorite holiday memory

Mary kicked on some Kenny G, and the pen ink quickly flowed across the pages.  Near the end of the 10 minutes conversations were sprouting so I knew it was time to move on.

“Alright, pens down,” I was surprised by how much I enjoyed commanding the classroom environment, “Now we’re going to split into two groups.  This side circle your chairs, and this side circle your chairs.  We’re going to share out stories with the group.  If you aren’t comfortable sharing this story in particular, you can make something else up.”

Each participant had roughly two minutes to tell their story.  I sat in on the group closest to me.

Gloria began, “It was our anniversary, and we were in my husband’s truck…”  This stranger went on to tell the group how their truck suddenly encountered a wall of water in Olmos Park.  As the truck was swept away, she reached out the window and grasped a tree limb.  I looked at the other faces in the group, and everyone was equally shocked as Gloria painted this horrific news reel onto our imaginations.  She and her husband both survived, but they didn’t locate the truck ’til three days after the incident.  This magnificent story had been sitting right beside me, hidden in Gloria’s memory until prodded to share.

Wow.  What other stories are we in for today?

I looked across the room to the other group and they had tears in their eyes.  What did I just  miss?  The lunch room, in a matter of minutes, was whipped into a roller-coaster ride of disbelief, laughter, and tears.  I felt bonded with this group of people that I’d never met before.  It was crazy, but time was running out so we had to move on.

“I need two volunteers.  One from each group.”  Two brave ladies stood up and joined me at the front.

“The two of you are story tellers today, but you aren’t telling your own.  Choose one of the stories you heard in your group and relay it to the rest of the class.”

They did a fantastic job, really, as both of them were excellent listeners.  However, there were some inconsistencies.

Gloria’s story became slightly embellished.  That came as no surprise to me, ’cause I know my imagination was set ablaze by her story.  In the new version, Gloria and her husband remember that near-death experience on the day of their anniversary and they are ever-so-thankful to have their lives, and each other.

I asked the group if they noticed any differences.

“Actually, we’ve since divorced,” Gloria corrected.  She did say she was thankful to have her life, though.

The group laughed with Gloria, and came to a collective realization of the value of the 1st-person perspective.  I expected the tone, inflection, and emotion to differ.  I was correct in my expectation, but what a significantly different story!

I reminded the group of the Mark Twain quote I’d recited to start the meeting.  In a 30-minute span, we’d all experienced drama, comedy, and tragedy.  But while Twain’s words better-described the spirit of StoryKeeping, there’s no one better than me to tell the story of my life.

“Your assignment isn’t finished yet,” I explained.  ”Tear out your story and give it to the person whose name is written across the top of the page.  You all have wonderful stories.  Share them with those you love, because they aren’t doing anyone any good trapped inside your head.”

Who is that right beside you?  What’s trapped inside their head might surprise you.