The Importance of Stories

 

   As some of you know, or if you’re not new here you definitely know; I am trying to become a published author. Books, words, stories- they’ve always mattered to me. They got me through the hardest parts of life and move me through them still. Recently, I went to a meeting for a writing group in town and it was wonderful. A step out of my comfort zone, but good to be around others desiring similar goals. Hearing the importance of words to each person was so comforting. It reminded me that stories bring us together, and words matter.

     It’s been the theme of my life honestly.

   Twenty-One Pilots released their new album and my partner and I have been nonstop talking, analyzing, and listening to it since. The story, the lore behind it has come to a close and we are amazed at the storytelling ability of these artists. I admitted to my husband that is what I hope for my own stories. not the fame, not the widespread fan base but the deep love and meaning behind the words. I want them to touch people the way the stories and books we love have touched us. 

Whenever classes and funding are needing to be cut, at least when I was growing up in the 90’s/2000s, the arts were always the first to be attacked. They’ve always been seen as either unnecessary or, problematic and dangerous. In my opinion it is a mistake to see them as “unneeded” People dont realize how much we wouldn’t have as a culture, a society, if we did not have the arts. 

Everything, really, is an art. We know of history, what happened in the past because of art. Pottery, architecture, sports gear from years past are all arts made by people who were- artists. Without them, we would not have what we have today. No sports, no knowledge of medicine or science, no written words or way to effectively communicate.

Stories matter. Words matter. So much so that through history, certain leaders, have tried to erase them. Through book burning, bans, taking them from shelves, hiding them from other countries. Stories connect us, they allow us to see that in this vast, beautiful, sometimes cruel world that we are not alone. We are not alone in our experiences. We are not weird or dumb or ugly. 

Stories show us the world. They show us emotions, history, worlds that could be, lessons through fantasy worlds, they move us and scare us. They are art.

Growing up, I ingested everything I could. At breakfast I read cereal boxes and the labels of tin cans on the kitchen counters. I read magazines at the doctors offices, all my dads National Geographic’s, my moms “Little House on the Prarie” books. Anything I could get my little, grubby hands on I would devour.  I asked questions and read whenever I didn’t have busy work in school and at home. Reading became my world as soon as I was able to recognize my letters and sound them out.

Stories took me from my small town, from my situation, into magical worlds. They showed me how others around the world lived. That I wasn’t  alone, there were more than one religion in the world, the weather was different in the desert than it is in Florida (although I’d take a dry heat over this heat any day!)

I learned about relationships between families and the difference in right and wrong and sometimes there’s not a cut and dry answer. Dystopian novels showed me worlds that could exist if we aren’t careful. Warnings. Caution. Horror novels, thrillers, crime, both fun and scary, Showing things that do happen some that are fictional but make you think. 

Poetry that moved me.

Stories, words, they matter.

That is why I will never be for any book banning ever. I will never stand for book burning. Stories are important. 

Yours and mine.

I hope someday you are able to tell your story, to someone, however it sounds.

A fantasy, a thriller, poetry, memoir, dystopian. 

However it comes out, I hope they listen. I hope you know that it matters. That you matter because every story matters.

Much love,

M