Tell me more…
In its simplest form, a "story" is a description of an incident or event. And our lives are filled with them!
First there are the stories that are told.
We can all think of stories that are told time and again during family gatherings and among friends. Stories that invoke incontrollable laughter, or a challenge for someone to tell the ‘truer’ version of what ‘really’ happened! In the same way, there are heartfelt stories that bring us to tears when we talk about people and things that we miss. They remind us why we love to be around each other and why we put up with each other's imperfections and shenanigans. Stories are what bind together our past, present and future.
Then there are the stories that are never told.
The stories buried deep within us, locked away, never to see the light of day. Some of these stories we carry because the immeasurable pain or loss is simply too difficult to express. While other stories haunt us and remain untold for fear of rejection or shame.
“If you told the truth, no one would believe you.”
“If anyone knew what really happened, you could never show your face again!”
“Who do you think you are? You got what you deserved!”
These untold stories isolate us from ourselves, from others and from God, forcing us to settle for only being partially known and therefore partially loved.
One of my favorite quotes is written by American memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist, Maya Angelou. By writing her life’s stories, she was able to turn her trauma into triumph.
This quote strikes me as both tragically true and a bold invitation from Maya Angelou to each of us: Will you tell your untold stories?
According to Merriam-Webster “agony” is defined as a state of great suffering of body or mind.
Synonymous with agony is distress, misery, torture and suffering. While some of the antonyms of agony listed are relief, comfort, alleviation, peace, security, and well-being.
Who wouldn’t welcome any of these ‘antonyms of agony’ into their life?
Maya Angelou’s quote about untold stories resonated deeply with me after I had experienced my own healing from sharing and engaging the stories I had once vowed to never tell. It was in telling them, that I found sweet healing!
So, what if we accepted Maya Angelou’s bold invitation to tell our stories?
How would we make the inverse of her quote true? For me, I would say,
“There is no greater peace than to set free an untold story inside you.”
What about you? What would you hope to gain by giving a voice to your untold stories?
“There is no greater (relief, comfort, peace, healing…)
than to (set free, relinquish, render, let go, release, yield…)
an untold story inside you.”
(Be sure to share your version of the quote in the comments section below.
Whatever it is your heart longs for, I invite you to begin your own path to healing through Story Work.
Ready for the next step?
Check out our Story Work Q&A Blog Post and get the answers you are looking for.
Learn more about our current Story Work offerings.
Register for an upcoming Story Group.
