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Archive Number 2462 | ||
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Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2003 14:02:18 EST
Andre and all, Last year at the Sunday morning Sacred Tales at the Tejas Storytelling Festival, Elizabeth Ellis told one of those gutsy stories, on the order of "telling a beloved one goodbye in song at the side of the hospital bed". I had spent 14 days in January of that year telling my own father goodbye, so that story, though quite gut-wrenching at the time, gave me the sole opportunity for blatant mourning that I have been given (or taken) to date. There was no one in the row ahead of me and most of the story I spent bent over with my head in the chair in front of me, watering the grass. For the rest of my days, I will never forget that story, the open and transparent grief of it, yet with masterful control exhibited by Elizabeth. It wasn't her professionalism that impressed me, though it was definitely there, as much as the compassion/empathy that her story showed to me as an individual audience member. I have no clue what telling that tale cost her personally, but I suspect that storytellers who are able to share those type tales do so in guarded measure, since the personal emotional toll might be hard to bear. IE: our recent discussions on personal tales in relation to therapy sessions. Just thought I would add my less than two cents. Luv and Stories, Mel | ||