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11 February 2008

Telling Stories

I came across this quotation today, attributed to Madeleine L'Engle:

On why anyone tells a story: It does indeed have something to do with faith, faith that the universe has meaning, that our little human lives are not irrelevant, that what we choose or say or do matters, matters cosmically.

A fine, fair statement about why we tell stories, why we read stories, why stories in all different possible forms, are part of our nature, and have been since before we started drawing on the cave walls.

3 comments:

Rebecca H. said...

That's a great quotation -- it's interesting to think about how stories imply a kind of confidence and hope -- otherwise, why bother?

Anonymous said...

I'll go with that - especially having experienced some of those drawings on cave walls (the ones in southern France)

Anne Camille said...

Dorothy, don't you think that any writing or attempt to make meaning is hopeful? You're right: why bother if it isn't?

UnRelaxed: I am so envious that you have seen the caves at Lascaux! I've seen some 3000 year old petroglyphs in the Mojave Desert though. (In my opinion the only thing to do if one is stuck in Las Vegas is to go to the Valley of Fire Park. Yeah-- I don't like the gambling and glitz.)