Of storytelling.

I mentioned in my last post that I absolutely love performing because of the storytelling, but as I wrote it, I was thinking, "I know that I love telling stories...but for the life of me, I can't put my finger on what exactly it is about it that is just so beautiful!" And then I received a lovely comment from Addie, part of which said: "YES!!! I'm soo glad you made that point about telling stories-that's why I love acting! We're mirroring God's creative act by telling stories-it's absolutely beautiful. :) :) :)"

And in that moment, it clicked! That is the reason I love storytelling in all its forms! It mirrors God's creativity, as Addie so succinctly pointed out. He is the Supreme Storyteller, Who is writing each of our stories, Who is the Author of all the best stories the world has ever known, and Who has given us the wonderful privilege of participating in this beautiful work. I am so, so grateful that He gave me, and so many others, this incredible gift. Storytelling, be it through writing, acting, dancing, singing, or anything else, has a power to communicate a desire for the good and noble and true, glimpses of beauty (and therefore, God), the knowledge that we are made for something more, like almost nothing else. And of course, since it is such a powerful medium, we have to be careful to guard it and use it only for good. It can do so much harm in the wrong hands.

This whole train of thought reminded me of a scene from a fantasy story I started writing a few years ago. I haven't worked on it in months, but I plan to soon. It's spoken by Duma, who is one of the Drooka, a people from the land of Druckacorn (which, by the way, is a name I invented when I was about 5 and just had to put in a story!) who are very small in stature and were given the gift of music and storytelling.

“Night was closing in on Milovia. It is still closing upon her. There have been dark days, but I can see even darker ones ahead. It is so easy to lose faith, to forget why we are fighting, to completely miss the point. That is why the Great One Who is Above All told Flight to give the gift of storytelling to the Drooka. Without the stories, the wonderful times of peace would have been forgotten. They would be lost forever. No one would remember them - no one would care. But they have been remembered, and will continue being remembered and told and re-told until the last of the Drooka perish. Those times cannot be forgotten. They can’t be lost! That is why you are fighting, Epono, son of a long line of High Kings of Milovia. That is why you have been called here, Henry, son of another world. This light that has been kept alive by the old stories must be kept alive by you as well. It must never be allowed to go out. Milovia as it once was shall return. But the future lies in your hands. You have a great and noble task. Carry it out faithfully and well. We cannot let evil conquer all worlds for all time. It cannot! It shall not. The time of peace shall return to our world, and in time it shall return to every world and solar system and star, everywhere in the great universe of Him Who Is Above All. It will call for such very great sacrifice, but it will be worth it.”