A Story is like water

Sometimes a story washes over you, cleanses you, and leaves you open to new possibilities. The National Storytelling Festival started 46 years ago in the small town of Jonesborough, Tennessee. Today, on this annual festival in October, the small town explodes as thousands and thousands come to listen to some of the best performers in …Read More

The Lion King – Circle of Life

Disney has become an iconic part of American culture. Reaching into the mythical stories from cultures around the world, Disney recreates those stories to bring the messages from those narratives into modern light. Pablo Picasso famously stated, “Good artists copy, great artists steal.” Pablo was a dramatic Spaniard; I prefer to say the secret of …Read More

FGCU Slam Storytelling, More to Come

“It has been said that next to hunger and thirst, our most basic human need is for storytelling.” ~ Khalil Gibran On Wednesday, September 26, 2018, more than 50 people gathered to share stories of “How I Got Here” at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) in Fort Myers, Florida. The Wasmer Art Gallery in the …Read More

“Sorrow Songs” become “Spirituals”

Originally called “Sorrow Songs,” they were composed by African slaves whose names we will never know. With hidden stories and meanings, what we call “Spirituals” today are songs of suffering, survival, and hope. How do we survive when the worst happens? Through these songs, faith was transmitted as the stories of the Bible became the …Read More

#21: The Story of HIV (Dr. Larry Friedman)

Time stood still. Even the air in the room refused to move, when Dr. Larry Friedman launched into a teaching story. As a resident doctor-in-training, we rotate through many different areas of medicine. Looking back at memorable moments during that time, the teachers that captivated me the most were the ones that told stories. In …Read More