Storytelling as a Spiritual Practice & Service
The following is a talk I gave in a forum for the Edinburgh International Centre for Spirituality and Peace on Wednesday 21st February 2024. The forum theme was “True Professionalism: A Spirituality of Service, Creativity, and Caring”. Other speakers included Professor Bart McGettrick, Dr. Ian Wight, Dr. Marilyn Hamilton, and Mr. Ken Webb. The session was chaired by Liz Horan.
Let me begin with a story, a story of a humble storyteller who wanders from village to village, weaving tales of hope, compassion, and resilience. With each story shared, hearts are touched, minds are opened, and spirits uplifted. This storyteller understands the power of narrative to bridge divides, to inspire change, and to cultivate a deeper sense of connection among communities.
It was during one of his travels that this storyteller encountered a border town where the people on one side of the town hated the people on the other side. Wherever he went, the language he heard was the same: always “us” against “them”. This division had fostered distrust, disrespect, and even acts of violence. As he had so often done, he invited the townspeople to a storytelling performance.
On the evening of the performance, people from one side of the town enter from the right while the people from the other side enter from the left. The children from both…
