The power of stories

Beth Buckley, our Development Coordinator, reflects on the power that stories can have.

Lately I’ve been thinking about the power of stories-the power of telling them, and of

hearing or reading them. As a child some of my fondest memories are reading with my parents - with the exception of my mum reading me Watership Down when I was 7 which I think scarred me for life. I spent almost very spare second reading, or writing stories. I read stories of refugees, of women fighting unthinkable battles, of the civil rights movement and more - my family often say it doesn’t take a genius to figure out why I bizarrely wanted to go into politics at age 10!

The stories we hear and grow up with, shape us in ways - both good and bad - that we may never be able to truly define. As I got older, I always found a deep comfort in the way words could convey emotions, create connection, inform you but also challenge your views or the way you see the world. I’ve also learnt you can gain just as much of that from hearing other people’s stories as anything written down.

One of my favourite things about the bible, is the way that even thousands of years ago the power of both stories and questions are so evident. Jesus gave so much of his teaching through parables - stories that would have been relevant and understandable to the people listening at the time, to teach them something about him. Even now, the parable of the lost sheep as well as others remain some of the best known parts of the bible and some of the first stories children will learn. They have a power that has outlasted time. A story about a shepherd who has lost one of his sheep out of 100 and will not give up on them, searching until he has found it, speaks of love and faithfulness now in a way we can still completely understand as western people 2000 years later who have no experience with being a shepherd.

Another favourite is the story of the woman who gave two small coins in the offering after many rich people had given significantly more. Jesus says that her offering was more important than any others - what may look like nothing of real value from an outsiders perspective-in time, or effort, or anything else, may be everything from that person.

We may loose some of the nuance of these stories over time but the message remains.

We know here ay Hope, very well, the power in someone feeling safe to share their story, or at least a part of it, without judgement or prejudice. Someone feeling truly listened to, heard and seen can be life changing. It can build moments and connection and a feeling of safety that can’t be measured, open doors to work through many challenges and lead to real personal growth.

Equally important are the stories that we speak over people. In every conversation with a guest or a volunteer - what part of their story are we becoming? Are we, like Jesus in the parables, speaking stories pointing to the inherent worth of every single person, of compassion, of love, of the value of anyone’s contribution?

If a story about some rabbits I read more than twenty years ago can stick with me so specifically, what difference can it make when someone can not only tell their story, but also add in a new chapter, maybe even a new act, where hope is at the centre of it?