Grey-Bruce Boomers Winter2023

y Arlen Wiebe
People have always been captivated by a
compelling story. Since the birth of language,
people from all cultures have been telling stories that
both instruct and entertain.
Long ago, people gathered around a fire at the end of
a long day to hear myths, legends, fables, epic poems,
proverbs, chants, rhymes, and songs. Storytellers
preserved and passed a community’s stories down
the generations.
A big shift occurred when people created written
language to record spoken words. People weren’t
completely dependent on a community storyteller to
preserve the oral stories anymore. With the printing
press, books could be easily mass produced, and
more people learned to read.
Today, another huge shift has occurred. Instead of a
communal experience around a living fire, families
now congregate facing a glowing electronic screen.
The storytelling task seems to be taken over by
filmmakers and television writers.
Why are stories so powerful?
It’s incredibly fortunate that stories are both
instructive and entertaining. While it might be
possible to commit bits of knowledge to memory
if we try hard enough, stories help us engage with
our history, traditions and values much more easily.
COMMUNITY
Stories help us to create order and make sense of our
lives. They help us appreciate how other people think
and feel. Stories use language in a way that is unlike
our everyday way of speaking and writing. Stories
fashion ordinary words and events into extraordinary
dramas.
Should you record your stories?
Yes! Our personal stories can be extremely valuable to
ourselves and our families. We can preserve important
family stories for our children and grandchildren. We
can gain insight into our struggles and choices and
share our wisdom. We can find direction for the rest
of our lives and heal, especially if our lives have been
shaped by pain or tragedy. We can connect names
and stories to old family photos or add details to the
family tree.
Have you ever thought you’d like to know what your
ancestors’ lives were really like, in their own words?
Consider how your own life will be interesting to
your descendants. Even people that don’t know us
may be interested in our stories. Many people enjoy
reading the personal anecdotes, stories and essays
in the “First Person” section of The Globe and Mail.
Maclean’s magazine publishes “My Arrival: The Lives
of New Canadians” on the last page of each issue.
CBC posts personal stories and experiences in its
online “First Person” columns.
This could be you…
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WINTER 2023/24 • 15