Stories come to life

Tell me a story, the old adage goes. We all want to be entertained, to have someone or something amuse us. Where would we be if not for stories? They inspire us, they bring us hope, they lead us to a quiet place, a happy place. Why is that we hold onto stories? Every life is shaped by stories. From a young age we are told stories, legend, tradition, history passed down from one generation to the next. We are told stories of Santa Claus and the elves. A story of a long ago kind man turned into legend. A story that grew over time to become ingrained in the hearts and minds of children everywhere. 

This story started out simply enough, the word of a kind deed spread to others. Imagine how it grew from one household to another, gathered around a warm fireplace to entertain. 

Every day we tell stories, anecdotes of our lives. We talk of how we spent our day, our hopes, our fears and frustrations, a story of our lives. 

"We are all stories in the end." To quote my favorite show Doctor Who. If we think of the truth in that statement it is overwhelming. The history, the life of anyone who lived and died is a story. Fact and Fiction run together as we piece together stories that we know, details left out or forgotten. Stories that should be remembered sadly neglected. 

History, his story, my story, your story, don't let it be forgotten. We all have stories to tell, lives that need to be shared. I write fiction because I've written the truth of my life and fiction is easier. Truth is stranger then fiction, in many cases it's not as pretty. We like our stories wrapped up with a happy ending. The story is ongoing, ever changing and we can't guarantee the ending. Everyone wants to be remembered, given some kind of hope their lives won't be forgotten, how can we show them?

There is a beautiful story I have heard over and over again. It's of love and loss, with a love and partnership that has lasted through the decades and is beautiful today. This love story while not my own is my inspiration, what I one day aspire to. It's a story that should not be forgotten, it should be cherished and retold. It's the story of my grandparents, and I have learned so much about them, things their children didn't know. These things I have written down to be shared and remembered when my children are grown. 

Stories, life is full of them, everywhere you turn. Everyone has a story, it's a piece of who we are. My story is mine alone, it tells of pain, loss, triumph and joy. Some of you may know it but no one else has lived it. I tell my fact story in hopes that it doesn't become someone else's reality. I tell my fiction stories so it doesn't become someone's fact. There is beauty in every story, what's yours?