Storytelling

Why Storytelling Still Matters (Especially in Families)

In a world moving faster than ever, one thing remains timeless: the power of storytelling. Stories shape the way we see the world, understand each other, and carry forward the essence of who we are. In families, stories aren't just entertainment, they're memory-keepers, identity-builders, and quiet teachers.

In this reflection, I want to share how the tradition of storytelling has come to mean even more to me as I’ve watched my children grow and begin families of their own. What they remember, and retell, has surprised me, made me laugh, and reminded me how much of our history lives in the moments we once thought were ordinary.

My Storytelling

I’m crazy about storytelling. As my children have moved out and started their lives and families, I have seen things they value from their childhood that surprised me. One of those things is storytelling. I have a passion for stories, and a lot of them originate from situations I experienced with my own father. He was a naturalist and minimalist in his own way, which meant we spent vast amounts of time outdoors. Many trips I look back on and wonder how we survived at all, let alone in good health.

I did not have it in me to be as brave as my father, he would take us into the wilderness with nothing but a bag of apples and four pounds of pretzels, and those foods got us to the middle of nowhere and somehow back. If he was testing mental boundaries on a young person eating their 14th apple in two days, it is not a lesson I decided to pass on to my children. But when I tell these stories, the point is not about my father lacking responsibility. I share them with my children to find the fun and humor in my dad’s bold lack of planning. I like to think it teaches them how to embellish the minor discomforts and irritants of life into a great story that can be told and retold for generations. The memories steeped in these stories help keep our family lore alive. 

✨ Why These Stories Last

What makes stories like these so powerful is how they hold both truth and tenderness they carry the laughter, chaos, and quirks that become a family's private mythology. When we share these tales, we're not just recounting what happened. We're teaching resilience, humor, and how to find lightness even in discomfort.

These are the stories our children will tell one day, maybe at a campfire, maybe at the dinner table, with their own embellishments added like seasoning. That's the beauty of intergenerational storytelling: it grows, evolves, and strengthens bonds across time.

Whether it's a tale of survival with nothing but apples and pretzels, or a memory of someone's adventurous spirit, every detail becomes a thread in the tapestry of our shared past.