A thought, a word, a story. Simple concepts in a complex world, but they can have a profound effect on how we live our lives. Today’s world may seem, at times, a blur. We are inundated every day with headlines of natural disasters, man’s inhumanity to man, and simply, just life slapping us in the face. How can we maintain a sense of sanity and security when the world around us seems to be spinning out of control? “Telling and listening to stories is the way we make sense of our lives,” said Dr. Thomas Houston, a researcher at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
The art of storytelling has been with humankind since the very beginning. It has been used to chronicle man’s actions from one generation to the next. Stories give meaning to our own existence and define the heart and soul of our lives.
Communicating one’s thoughts in written or verbal form can also play an important role in one’s health. A few years ago, I suffered a heart attack. It shook my very foundation — like the rug had been pulled out from under my feet. After a week’s stay in the hospital, I was discharged to go home. But now what? My assumption that I had been living a healthy life had crumbled. Every twinge of pain brought fear of a subsequent heart attack. It was like I was frozen in my tracks. Upon the recommendation of my doctor, I enrolled in a cardiac rehabilitation program to get me back on track physically and emotionally. It was during this time period that I took up writing as a means of dealing with my emotions. I shared my writing with the nurses of cardiac rehab with the hope that they might get a fuller understanding of what I had just experienced. I found by putting down on paper my feelings; I was starting to heal the emotional scars that were left behind.
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