Over the centuries, story telling has been a vital source for connection of community throughout the world. Often the elders would pass on a pivotal event or interesting tale to the new generation. Then their memory could carry on the legacy or even the legends of the tribe/family. This form of communication is a type of glue that holds the family together when times are tough because “I belong” is stronger than fear. This act of telling inevitably knits the listener to the story teller as they laugh or even cry as the story is told. While we read books alone or even watch movies in a fantasy world of our own, this form of “retelling” is becoming a lost art form. So, next time you see the moon rising, take a little time and recall an event from your childhood or your parents life and pass it on to your children so they feel like they belong to something more than their soccer team or their school. Make your past interesting, embellish it a bit, and recapture the great moments and the legacy of telling Bedtime Stories.

~ Mark Keathley