By Linda Schuyler Ford

It started with Sandy Hook.

I had friends with children at that school.
Besides, the cluster of villages and small towns around  Danbury, Connecticut – Bethel, Brookfield, New Fairfield, Newtown, Redding, Ridgefield-form the communities of Northern Fairfield County.

One community.

One tribe.

What happened to one of us happened to all of us.

In the weeks that followed, Rev. Laura Westby, pastor at First Congregational Church of Bethel, along with local officials and school leaders planned “A Place for Healing Through Art”. Two days of storytelling, painting, dance, counseling, and listening at an area conference center.

I was honored to be the storyteller.

And terrified.
Though I believe in the power of Story, I was overwhelmed by the magnitude of this massacre.
What kind of hope and healing could I possibly impart?
Short of giving false reassurances, what could Story do?
What could I contribute?

What I could do, with conviction, was open paths to empathy. To deep listening.

And to help begin the work of shoring up walls of normalcy.

I could share stories about layers of protection. Community.
Stories that widen the lens of perception to see beyond trauma and fear, to include hope, strength, empowerment, even humor.

A few years earlier, Dan Keding graciously gave me permission to tell his story, The Dragon’s Tear. A quick phone conversation with Dan led to permission to omit the dragon’s identity until the end of the story, thereby reinforcing the awareness of listening without judgment. That became the opening tale. I added a silly, interactive version of Tipingee to lightheartedly bring awareness to friendship and community. I pored over books, websites, reviewed my personal stories, and wrote, wrote, and rewrote. Ultimately, I offered concerts for different age groups: Grades K-2, 3-5 , and older kids and adults. Stories opened conversation. Initial healing conversations enabled families to fully participate in other art activities over the weekend. And that led to more conversation.

The following spring, we relocated to Florida. Those same stories have been shared with children from troubled homes, at Title 1 schools, for women living in a shelter where they are recovering from spousal violence, and at a prison. The messages have been distilled by listeners at an Ocala house concert dedicated to Peace, at my own International Day of Peace concert, which has grown into an annual event in Tallahassee, and as the theme of the annual Tellabration!™ event I produce in Plymouth, MA. The stories took on new life, new meaning with each audience. But peace and peaceful empowerment remained at the heart of each performance.

As both a therapeutic recreation director and social worker, I am expected to have the answers. To facilitate healing. In storytelling, I learn (and learn again!) in order to succeed, we often have to get out of our own way to let the stories work their magic. It is not the storyteller, but the Story that does the work.

In times of fragmentation, what we need, more than anything, is genuine listening with the intent to understand. When that fragmentation is caused by tragedy, Story creates a safe cushion of comfort from which we can hear with open hearts. It dislodges the myopic view, the focus on woundedness, and reminds us that the world is still turning, life is unfolding, and we are still part of the grand scheme. Sharing the Stories that alleviate paralyzing fear enables clearer thinking. It enables us to gather up wisdom and take action.

Action, too, is part of healing. And of Story.

Expanding our world view while still stinging is, perhaps the most perfect and tender place to begin. Again.

Tell those Stories.

 Linda “Schuyler” Ford grew up in Sleepy Hollow, NY, and now divides her time between Tallahassee, FL and Danbury, CT. She serves on the Florida Storytelling Association’s board of  directors. Much of her repertoire revolves around  Peace, Women’s issues, folktales of Florida, New England, and Hudson Valley . She is rather fond of the works of Washington Irving.

In addition to performance, her Story includes the exploration of applied  storytelling in health care, and Elder care.  Schuyler can be reached at StoriesHeal@gmail.com