The Pendulum There was once a pendulum waiting to be fixed on a new clock. It began to calculate how long it would be before the big wheels were worn out and its work was done. It would be expected to tick night and day, so many times a minute, sixty times that every hour, …Read More
Category: Storytelling
Storytelling as Healing – A New Course at FGCU
It’s official. I’m teaching “Storytelling as Healing” at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) in Ft Myers, Florida, for the Spring Semester that starts in January 2019. (Yes, I still have trouble calling January Spring, even in Florida, but that’s Academic Life.) As part of the Integrated Studies Department, the class will meet every Wednesday 4:30pm …Read More
Save the Turtle
Mary was a spitfire of energy, which more than made up for her small stature and sleight build. With sheer determination, she kept 4 kids, 3 dogs, 2 cats, a bird, a gerbil, fish, and a husband in one orderly household. She loved her animals, and her kids were always bringing something home to nurse …Read More
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
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
Ancestral Medicine, Heal the Past
“I am bound to them, though I cannot look into their eyes or hear their voices. I honor their history. I cherish their lives. I will tell their story. I will remember them.”~ Author Unknown We carry the roots of who we are in the lineage of our family tree. We are blessed by 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
SLAM Storytelling comes to FGCU
The contestants are on stage pouring out their deeply personal moments to a riveted audience. The laughter roars. Touching moments move us. We are all connected by the intricate web the storyteller weaves in just five minutes. It’s a contest, and the winner goes home with the prize for the best story. The judges are …Read More
Too good to be true
An unexpected email arrived in my inbox. “I would like you to perform at Oxford Storytelling Festival…” Wow! How did they find out about me? I’m a famous storyteller. I’ve been doing this for a while. Working hard on stories. This is so cool! Maybe they saw me perform at one of the festival new …Read More
Physician Meeting: Who’s in Charge?
At a recent physician meeting, the doctors in the multi-specialty group were deciding on how to split the profits and who should lead the group. The neurologist said, I take care of the brain. Without the brain, nothing would happen. Clearly, I am the most important and should be paid more. The hematologist said, I …Read More