STORYTELLERS

In Jamie Sams stories of the Clan Mothers, the one for this moon cycle is the Storyteller. She makes the point in the intro selection that we have to listen to the stories of all who share Creation with us. But, how can we become aware of the stories of all who share this little world with us when we won’t hear the stories told by our own kind?

 

Troops from the Oregon National Guard put in their tours of duty in Iraq. The local paper made a point to tell the stories those who lost their lives in the line of duty. There were more than a few letters in the paper accusing those who publish the paper of being “Un-American” and undermining national security by telling their stories.

 

If you are going to support a war you have to accept some of those who serve are going to die. Acknowledging that cost isn’t telling the ones who killed them something that they don’t already know. Hell, they were the first to know. If you support a war, but don’t want to face the human costs, then hypocrite is the kindest word I can use. There are others, but this is a family blog.

 

I realize that Viet Nam is part of this. And I think that’s why the Viet Nam Memorial is such a powerful symbol. Those who visit it know that behind every name there is a story. No, not just one story, but the stories of everyone that was a friend, class mate, co-worker, or relative. And by looking at those names and wondering about the story behind the name, we become part of the story too.

 

Just because we ignore the stories doesn’t erase them. The story is still there whether we want to hear it or not. In a strange way I feel that by denying the stories of the ends of their lives, we unravel the rest of that story. The damage doesn’t stop there, it unravels the whole tapestry.