2015

This year I have reached for the opportunity to learn and practice…Learn something new that I am interested in and practice acceptance, patience, and listening to name a few. By learning I mean I took on Reiki training, a Japanese relaxation technique and by practice, I mean that I don’t have it down yet..but practice gets me a little closer step by step…

For this writing I want to write a little about storytelling. I think storytelling is an opportunity to connect. By telling our story and listening to others, I believe it encourages acceptance of the way things were and are, patience to understand, and sharpens our listening skills.

Storytelling was introduced to me two years ago (by a professional storyteller) where storytellers gather and work on their stories and then share them with others…and it is powerful in that setting…Storytelling by my Italian heritage family came easy and I feel fortunate that I heard so many… When stories are passed around the dinner table, by an older family member, relative, or child, we get a glimpse of what it might have been like in another place and time that we can not experience simply because we weren’t there. Allowing ourselves to be fully present to the storyteller provides that opportunity. Allowing the time to let the story sink in and picture what it may have been like is a way to transport ourselves… When I volunteer with my precious dog Frida at a rehabilitation facility and residents share their stories of their pets or other stories that come to their mind because of a pet, I truly listen to each word and I believe they feel that what they are sharing is important to me because it is.

Yesterday, I heard a compelling story of a caregiver from his point of view. His story was told with such honesty, passion, and dignity,  that it is now imprinted in my mind.

So this year, I vow to express and share my stories (look out family and friends) in a way that may transport some to another place and time and perhaps get that glimpse.

Be calm, be peaceful, be well…

Nurturing Nonni