Everybody Has a Story

Came across this interesting piece about the rising popularity of memoirs. Why are we so interested in others’ stories and what does it tell us about ourselves?

Patsy Vigderman, a professor at Kenyon College in Ohio, offers the following statement, as quoted in the article:

For some reason, people right now are gripped by the idea that [it’s better if] it’s really true. Memoirs are a form of self-display.

I, for one, love hearing other peoples’ stories. When I hear another’s life experiences – the ups and downs – I feel that I gain insight into my own life. What they have learned through experience can become a doorway into learning and insight for me from my own experiences.

One of my favorite series of memoirs is Fred Buechner’s short books, The Sacred Journey, Now & Then, Telling Secrets, and The Eyes of the Heart. If you’ve not read them, you should do so immediately.

Buechner is one of my favorite authors. He urges us to listen to our lives in order to discern the fine textures and contours of God’s work in, through, and among us.