We did it! Our first online STORY event. I've been hearing from many of the regular attendees that while (of course!) we did miss being in the same place together, so much of the magic of STORY translated very successfully to the Zoom room. With brave story-sharers, an engaged audience offering reflections, silent clapping, fun backgrounds, and disappearing arms... it was a great combination of old and new as the adventure of STORY continues!
We had a record number of people sign up and thanks to the online format we saw faces from across the country. I was toggling between four screens of your beautiful faces... I caught a quick snapshot of one of them as an example and added it below.
Katie read two excerpts from her book Urban Playground: What Kids Say About Living In San Francisco. The way she captures children's voices reminds us of the wonder and possibility in every moment. A simple appreciation of ballet "I like about it that you point your toes." A realization that surprises are just happy tricks. A cue to be inspired by the ease with which kids dream up their own ways to celebrate the things they love. You can pre-order the book today and get it on April 7th.
Lisa shared awareness of fear and the knowing that she must sit with it, see it, and feel what it wants to become. Inspired by birds, whose trust in their ability to fly is so strong and aware of the fear that is so present in her right now, she came to us claiming trust and pause to allow the beauty of the open space that is her being, exactly what the fear wants to become.
Vicki joined us with her kids nearby, shared some of her recent hope(less/full) moments and ended by sharing her beautiful mantra:
I wake this moment and greet this life with gratitude and peace. Today I choose to use my experiences, talents, and gifts to create a life of abundance, where health, love, pleasure, money, laughter flow freely. I attract these things to myself and share them with others because I know that we are worthy of beautiful, magnificent, and prosperous lives. I act from my center with strength and compassion and allow my possibilities to be limitless and surprising. I offer gratitude to myself and to The Greater Than for all that has come and is coming my way. So mote it be. Amen.
Vicki would also like to remind the mantra speaker that they are free to:
add, subtract, adjust this list of things to attract as they wish.
replace with whatever name they prefer for that which is greater than themself.
use, post, share, adjust, work with as they please
...but should for sure wash their hands.
Sarah's story took us back in time to an experience that shaped her mindset. She reminded us that we are each uniquely equipped for our becoming human journey. We don't have to worry for (or about) each other. We just need to love each other. Such a beautifully written and engagingly presented first-time-STORY-share!
Darcy told a story of twins and how our worst journeys sometimes take us to our best. Through her family history, Darcy helped us see how patterns repeat, and in hindsight, we can see all dimensions of circumstance. In this moment of calm, she reminds us of the gift of the pause to feel the things that perhaps we only now have space to feel.
Michelle shared excerpts from the chapter "Change the Story" from her book Radiance: The Art of Self Love. Her message resonated beyond the realm of story and reached its arms around each of our hearts. Reminding us that since 90% of our thoughts are reruns it's essential that we stretch beyond the habits of the past and into the possibility of the future. "Let's choose love!"
Andrea might as well have sung us a love song, so tender and full of rapture was her story. She let us feel into her experience of relationship and fall in love with love. A ballad of love and trust; "To have without holding. To love completely without limit."
Plagues. Epidemics. Pandemics. Oh, my! Deborah reminded us of other times in history where we've been resilient in the face of "exotically named... bugs."And that panic and fear are real problems for the immune system so we must keep things in perspective. In addition to washing your hands, make sure to sit out in the sun, sing to each other, be calm and kind... like those on the front lines. "We're all in this together. This too shall pass... we have an opportunity to rebuild our world, together, because we are all connected."
Ok, then. Let's keep connecting. Excited to see you again next month...
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