Stories that {Aspire to Inspire}

I truly believe that we are all surrounded by inspiration. It's in the untold stories of loved ones, uncaptioned photos and the unseen works of artists.

That thought was the inspiration for my first MckLinky...

Aspire to Inspire. A place to share the stories behind the people, beliefs, art or words that inspire you.

As I prepared to write this post, I thought about all the things that inspire me and what I would like to share with you. Although, I made list after list of potential items, I kept coming back to the same topic; storytelling.

I wanted to tell you why storytelling is so important...

Storytelling has been a long-time tradition in the African community. It basically served as a way of passing along traditions and beliefs from one generation to another.

Although storytelling may have been mastered by the African and African-american community, it's practiced everywhere. By everyone.

If you've been reading my blog, you know I love to tell stories. It's how I make sense of life. But what you may not know, is how much I love to hear stories. This also helps me make sense of life and keep things in perspective. It's probably why I became a counselor.

Following the loss of our baby, the stories of others became a source of encouragement and inspiration to me. The website Journey of Hearts was a lifeline. I was especially found of the article, The Importance of Telling (and Listening) to the Story. Author Kirstin Dyer summarizes the benefits of storytelling as:

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  Inspires and provides hope during dark times
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  Life changes and losses are assimilated into a person's life story by the telling of their story
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  Translates memories into concrete manner that can help preserve tradition and cultures

As a new blogger, I've been encouraged by reading all your blogs. Endless stories of hope and resiliency. Lessons ranging from how to paint to blog etiquette. Tender memories of loved ones lost along the away and new challenges ahead....none of these words have fallen on deaf ears. I appreciate you all sharing those moments with me and your fellow bloggers. Your openness and vulnerability has encouraged me beyond words.

So now I'm preparing for a new chapter in my life. On March 29, I'll be starting nursing school, which is one step closer to pursuing my dream...of moving to the ocean.

Thank you all for listening to my story (over the past few months) and more importantly being part of my story. The words you leave here will continue to inspire me.
As the date draws near, I have alot of work to be done with organizing childcare, orientation, Dr appts, ordering uniforms, etc. Although, my time will be limited, I'll keep you posted on our decorating projects, but I apologize in advance if I don't get around to visiting you all.
So please Link up those inspiring posts now, while I have time to read them...
Sincerely, Lisa