Day 137 of Your Year to Wellness; Connecting Through Stories

Fold and connect

The Stories of Life

Every life has a story and every story has a life.

 I’m in Tyler, Texas and yesterday I met a man who told me about another man who has lived and amazing life.

 According to the story, the man came to Tyler with nothing but the clothes on his back. He went to an apartment complex and struck up a deal with the owner; “I’ll do all of your landscaping if you give me a place to stay.” The man reportedly said. The apartment owners were happy to do so. They had empty places and a lot of yard work.

The man moved in and worked day and night and the grounds became the talk of the neighborhood. So much so, that he was hired to do more and more work. He had so much work that he had to hire people, so the man went out and found other young men who were homeless and willing to work hard and put them to work as well. Now the man has more than he needs, he lives in his own house and has apartment buildings of his own. He houses people who have little to pay but will work hard for a place to stay.

It took less than 5 minutes for me to listen to this story, but it had an impact that will affect me for the rest of my life.

I’m a writer, I listen for stories and watch for characters all of the time. I love the simplicity of life and the way it folds into an intricate piece as if crafted by an origami artist.

The man who told the story had a story of his own. Each time his phone rang, Etta James’ version of At Last could be heard from his ring tone. I imagined a wife he referred to as his bride even though they’d been married for many years. I saw a woman who keeps him on his toes while he keeps her in his heart. My mind got lost in the image of two everyday people who live everyday lives which is extraordinary.

We all have a story to tell. Today, share a story with someone and listen for one in return. When we share our stories, we get the truth and the lessons we need.

·         Share

·         Listen

·         Learn

Every life has a story and every story has a life; in them we are connected.

Be you, be well, Be connected.

Bertice Berry, PhD.

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