There are connoisseurs of fine wines, sports enthusiast, T.V. addicts, architectural admirers, nature lovers, and now there are story aficionados! (Aficionado? – I think it is a neglected word! It means, “Knowledgeable and enthusiastic about a subject or past time.”) As a story aficionado, you are a deep listener who loves to hear of people’s passions, their joys and their sorrows. You are willing to ask the questions that uninterested people never care enough to ask. You are unique, willing to ask the questions and appreciate the qualities of the person who emerges. Asking questions shows your interest and curiosity; you have a desire to let another share and discover who they are. Your art for asking good questions comes from your genuine enjoyment of others, being honored with their trust, delighted in their honesty, and handling their stories in careful, respectful ways. And when you ask questions that reflect your fascination, people say “I’m glad you asked.” Or, as one young man responded, with delight and surprise, “Dude!”“Everyone has a story!” The young retreat participant expressed her Ah-Ha moment. Her discovery is a life changing shift! – a shift from a person being another speck in the nameless crowd, to a human worthy of being known; a person who shares humanity with the great joys and great sorrows that go with it.
“You cannot hate a person whose story you know.” – Margaret Wheatley
Sharing human stories bring people together, breaks down barriers, allows for differences, values uniqueness. Sharing story allows a person to see around the masks and appearance that we mistake as identity. Cliques break down. Cultures come together. Religious differences are understood.
“And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.” (Mt. 18: 20 The Message) There is something holy when two people connect through caring enough to know the other. Some have described it as a bit mystical. Relationship is a faith practice. I was taught that a sacrament uses earthly elements, bread, wine, water – as a means of grace. Maybe relationship should have been named a sacrament also. People are certainly earthly forms and the power of God’s grace is never more real than when the conversation connections take us deeper.
(1997, Vibrant Faith)
Real Questions
(2000, Augsburg Fortress, out of print)
Heart Ignite
(2003, Vibrant Faith written with Diane Monroe)
Faith Talk Coaster
(2005, Vibrant Faith, written with Dick Hardel)
Blessing Bowls
(2008 by artist Dawn Deines-Christensen, I originated the concept for Every Day milestones version and was the lead on the development of this product for Vibrant Faith)
Faith Talk
(2006, Four Key Version, Vibrant Faith with Andrea Fieldhouse-Griner)
Doing Likewise
(2011, EveryDay, now available on line )
Candle Times
(coming this summer!)
Jesus Quotes
(FREE discussion cards… EMAIL me at PML@EveryDayLLC.org)