Carol's Corner

Welcome to 31 days of blog posts on Storytelling, one of my favourite things to do. I hope you enjoy this glimpse into my love of stories in many forms.

Vera Nazarian said, “The world is shaped by two things – stories told and the memories they leave behind.”

I remember sitting by my mom or grandfather, curled close under their arms, as they read me stories. I recall the many visits to my paternal grandmother’s home and listening to stories, sometimes told for my ears alone but often gleaned from while sitting quietly overhearing the adult conversation and storytelling swirling around me. The memory of story is imprinted deep into my mind and on my heart.

My first teacher, with her head of white hair, reminded me of a grandmother but the most special thing I remember about her is how she taught me to read. This opened up an entire new world of imaginative places to visit and multitude of interesting facts to learn. Chores often got put on hold while I finished the next chapter or two of whatever book I currently held. Lights out stretched as long as I dared to reach a fitting place to stop in the journey of the book’s hero or heroine. I often cheated the rules by reading with a flashlight under the covers or by the street light outside my window. Reading allowed more stories to entice me, thrill me, educate me or simply entertain me from a young age until now.

Today I continue enjoying family stories. I wish I had the foresight to record my grandparents’ stories and wonder how many tales are lost for this very reason. I am trying to spend more time recording the stories I hear and have lived for future generations. But beyond the recounting of personal tales of adventure, everyday life, triumph and tragedy, I realize the importance of story and storytelling in presentations, workshops and relating to other people.

In this October blog series on Storytelling I plan to look at types of stories, tips for storytelling and the power of a story to reach into people’s hearts, tug at their emotions and help them remember the key point you want to make as a presenter. I invite you to join me on this journey into the land of storytelling – a journey never far away from where you are and the memories you hold dear.