Sue – Page 26

How Many Times

Filed Under: Stories · August 6, 2009 · Leave a Comment ·

Through the work Chris and I do, we have the privilege of hearing the stories of people from all kinds of places, spaces and backgrounds.

So often I am humbled by their wisdom, resilience, humour and strength – often under circumstances that could leave them bitter, bowed or defeated. And I feel honoured they have felt able to open their hearts and share their stories with us.

It’s a reminder in this busy, media-saturated world of ours that the most powerful stories are not necessarily those of the rich and famous.

How often do we give our time, our spirits and our hearts to listen – really listen – to the stories of others? Ordinary people, with extraordinary stories.

Here is a song from one of my favourite Aussie singer-songwriters, Judy Small, which asks much the same question.

How many times do they tell their tales to strangers,

Who turn away in silence and pretend they didn’t hear.

How many times do we throw away such chances,

Never knowing what we might have learned with open ears.

(From How Many Times, by Judy Small)

One Voice in the Crowd

Filed Under: Featured, Reflections · August 3, 2009 · Leave a Comment ·

So often we think we can’t do much to make the world a better place. We look at the enormity of the task and think “What on earth can I do about it? Who am I, after all? Just one voice in the crowd!”

But here’s great little video I came across on You Tube, thanks to a friend who sent me the link. It reminds us that little things can make a big difference – if enough of us come together to do them! Even as one voice in the crowd, we can help to swell the tide of change.

Visit the We Are What We Do website for more information.

One brick in the wall you may be, one voice in the crowd
But without you we are weaker and our song may not be heard
One drop in the ocean, but each drop will swell the tide
So be your one brick in the wall, be one voice in the crowd

And we are foolish people who do nothing
Because we know how little one person can do
Yes we are foolish people who do nothing
Because we know how little one can do

(Lyrics from One Voice in the Crowd, by Judy Small)

One Picture, Two Stories

Filed Under: Reflections, Stories · July 8, 2009 · 2 Comments ·

Look at the picture to the right.

What does this represent for you? What do you think about when you look at it? What story does it tell you?

In the workshops we facilitate for clients, we often use images to help people come together around different issues. Last week in a workshop I was facilitating, two women shared their stories about this particular image.

For one, it held a story of youth, of gangs and of the potential for violence.

The second woman originally came from a part of the world where electricity cables were often falling or damaged and there were many deaths from electrocution. For her this picture told a story of safety – the boots over the wire were potentially a protection from dangerous currents and from possible death! She said that, without the boots, the image would have been far more frightening for her.

By sharing their stories, these two women moved the group into a rich conversation about how the same experience can hold very different meaning for different people. Something we all know, but sometimes forget in our day-to-day dealings with others.

I can’t really understand how you experience what is happening or the meaning you make of it unless I ask you. Unless I take the time to listen deeply to your story and appreciate how you see the world and your place in it.

“Reality is created in the moment, and there are multiple realities”
(Sue Annis Hammond, The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry)

Note: The image here is one card from a beautiful set called Picture This. These cards are published by Innovative Resources, which is one of the best sources we know for obtaining a wide range of excellent strength-focused resources.