Throughout history, all cultures and peoples have thrived on and thirsted for stories. Stories of family and ancestors, of country and conquest, of origins and divinity. Whether in oral form or in writing, the importance of story in the lives of human beings cannot be overstated.
It is perhaps all the more visible today. With the emergence of social media and globalization, an innumerable amount of stories about the world at large, the communities that we live in, the sports teams we support. What tends to thrill us in the news, on tv, or in the theater is a good story that we can get drawn into.
The other side to this reality, however, is that we can get so caught up in other stories and the lives that others portray on social media that we lose grasp of our own. We live in a state of flux between stories we read about and the amended lives we show the world through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc., never quite taking hold of or really understanding our own.
“Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.” – Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection
On the wall behind our front desk rests another quote by Brown: “Owning our stories and loving ourselves through the process is the bravest thing we will ever do.” Here at The Refuge Center, we are honored to join you in your story for a time, helping you to own the story that you currently have and author the next chapter as you envision it. To make an appointment, call 615.591.5262 or email us.
