Loss-themed ‘State of the Story’ event to be held in downtown State College
“Had I not been awake I would have missed it ...” Think about that. These words from Seamus Heaney’s poem “Had I Not Been Awake” apply to all aspects of our lives. If we aren’t awake to what each moment brings, we miss it.
This sentiment rings very true for those preparing for the loss-themed “State of the Story” event taking place at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 16. During this evening of Moth-style storytelling at 3 Dots Downtown, 137 E. Beaver Ave., eight individuals will share their personal short stories based on the theme “GPS: Grief Positioning System.” Or, more specifically, how they’ve found their way in love and loss.
For the storytellers preparing for this event, if they had not been awake, they would have missed their own personal story. Not to mention, they needed to be awake at the coaching sessions where they crafted their stories, or they would have missed more.
You see, all eight storytellers take part in four coaching sessions in the weeks prior to the event. At these sessions, the two coaches — Beth McLaughlin and Evelyn Wald — facilitate the creation of the stories by having all participants provide input to one another.
On the first night, each storyteller arrives with what they think their story is about. However, by the end of the fourth session, they often find that their story is about something else — the story behind the story. If they hadn’t been awake during the sessions, they would have completely missed it.
Some of the ways the coaches uncover the story behind the story are by asking Moth-style questions like, “Who were you in the beginning?” “Who were you at the end?” “How were you changed?” and, “How do you live your life differently?”
The coaches also encourage the storytellers to think in terms of scenes, summaries and reflections. The stories are all about each of the storytellers, and why they care about their chosen stories.
This process impacts everyone at a deeper level than just the stories. Some storytellers have literally made career changes after their participation. Countless others have healed parts of their grief through this process of getting real and vulnerable. In addition, since we started this loss-themed State of the Story event in 2016, many participants who did not know one another when they started continue to maintain personal connections.
Then there is the actual night of storytelling. Again, if the storytellers are not awake as they tell their stories, they may miss it. Since no notes or props are used, the stories come through in the moment in front of the audience. Sometimes the stories come through just as rehearsed. Other times, the stories behind the stories appear with new pieces and are birthed right there on stage to those awake storytellers.
And what is true for the storytellers, is just as true for the audience. If they aren’t awake, they miss it as well.
First, if they don’t show up at all, they literally miss it. And second, if they arrive with closed hearts and minds, they miss the experience of connecting with the humanity being shared right in front of them. Storytelling is what we humans have done since the beginning of time.
For some examples of what the audience might miss if not awake, here are words of reflection from previous audience members that described their feelings after the event: gratitude, community, inspiring, gift, joy, power, honesty, peace, precious, family, future, and we’re all in this together.
As in the past, this event is a collaborative effort between State of the Story and Learning to Live: What’s Your Story? State of the Story is a local storytelling group and performance series. Learning to Live: What’s Your Story? is a group that facilitates this column as well as this upcoming storytelling performance. Its mission is for individuals to share their stories of how they are learning to live with loss. Community members and Koch Funeral Home provide support.
We invite you to be a part of this live, organic storytelling evening. Tickets can be purchased in advance at 3dotsdowntown.com or at the door the night of the event. Your presence will be an opportunity to be awake and not miss it!
Jackie Naginey Hook, MA, is a spiritual director, celebrant and end-of-life doula who facilitates the Helping Grieving Hearts Heal program through Koch Funeral Home in State College. This column is coordinated by the Learning to Live: What’s Your Story? initiative whose mission is to create educational and conversational opportunities for meaningful intergenerational exchanges on loss, grief, growth and transformation.