I’ve always been a fan of stories. As someone who works on a magazine staff, I have to be. When I was growing up, books were my happy place. I loved stories. Not only in books, but also in the storylines I’d watch play out  in my favorite TV shows and movies. I also loved imagining stories in my mind. 

We experience more of the world as we become older and wiser. Our experiences become a part of our stories. Our stories grow and blossom into interesting plots. New characters and new perspectives are added. Some stories intertwine with each other. The stories of our lives can help us continue to live our lives every day. Our stories can help us make sense of the world. 

Sharing our stories is also important. When we hear others’ stories, we can not only know them more personally, but also understand different perspectives. These perspectives look and sound vastly different than yours. By hearing others’ stories, we can understand different cultures and increase our capacity for empathy for one another. 

However, sharing our story can be difficult and extremely vulnerable. One might not be able to share their story out of fear of someone not receiving it well. But sharing our stories isn’t a one-time thing. Sharing our stories means sharing a part of ourselves over time and inviting other people into our stories and timelines each day. 

When I am engrossed in one of my favorite books, the author invites me, the reader, into the life of the main character, often the narrator. I am welcomed into the main character’s mind; I learn of their intentions, their fears, their desires, their needs. I meet the characters around them through the lens of that main character. When we meet one another, and start to share our stories with one another, we invite each other into our lives to learn about one another. 

Our stories matter, and how we share our stories is up to us. Think about who you share your story with and what parts of your story you share. In one of the features this month, Jessica Morris shares the importance of storytelling, especially with our spiritual stories, or testimonies. Think about your story and how you want to tell it. Your story continues to be written by the One who created everything. Share your story, written by the Creator, with others and don’t forget to listen to others’ stories. 

Illustration by Lan Truong