Your Sacred Story
Have you ever browsed through a copy of BookPage - the monthly book review and recommendation guide often found stacked in racks in libraries and bookstores? Images of featured books are peppered throughout the periodical. The artwork and clever titles always draw me in, luring me to read descriptions of books that might otherwise never cross my radar screen. Inevitably, a couple of new titles will end up on the “Read” list in my Notes app after I peruse an issue.
Last week I picked up multiple copies of the March and April issues of BookPage from the free box stationed near the door at my local library. The colorful images of book covers would be put to good use at my next Spirituality in Recovery Group at Costello House.
The residents were tasked with finding book titles to fit into four categories: The Story of My Addiction, The Story of My Recovery, The Story of My Future, The Story of My Life. The content of the book didn’t matter for this particular activity - if the title rang a bell, they could use it. As the residents flipped through the back issues of BookPage, I wondered which titles they would choose to tell their stories.
After the men had clipped the cover images and affixed them to the appropriate boxes on their handouts, I invited them to share their titles with the group. They could offer an explanation for their selections, if they desired. Their responses were evocative, heart-wrenching, and thought-provoking. Below are a few samples:
The Story of My Addiction - Troubles (J. G. Farrell), This Isn’t Going to End Well (Daniel Wallace), The Cemetery of Untold Stories (Julia Alavarez)
The Story of My Recovery - Clear (Carys Davies), An Emancipation of the Mind (Matthew Stewart), Twelve Trees (Daniel Lewis)
The Story of My Future - Independence (Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni), One Giant Leap (Thao Lam), No Going Back (Patrick Flores-Scott)
The Story of My Life - Force of Nature ( Kate T. Parker), Glorious Exploits (Ferdia Lennon), The Odyssey (Homer, translated by Emily Wilson)
Most of their chosen titles required little explanation. I was initially puzzled by the selection of Twelve Trees as a recovery story title until the resident referenced the Twelve Steps of AA and NA. Of course!
As we wrapped up our time together, I reminded the residents that their stories are sacred and worthy of sharing. I referenced the Gospel account of the man who was possessed by a legion of demons. After healing the man - returning him to his “right mind” and restoring his identity - Jesus commissioned him to go and tell his story to his family, friends, and neighbors - the very people who had once feared him. Likewise, the residents of Costello House have sacred stories of healing to share - powerful stories that can foster understanding, deepen compassion, and build community.
In her book Holy Listening: The Art of Spiritual Direction, Margaret Guenther asserts that “spiritual direction is always storytelling.” She wisely advises spiritual companions like me to help our clients claim their identity in Christ and discern the action of the Holy Spirit in their lives through storytelling. When a spiritual companion offers her client the gift of deep listening and a client offers her companion the gift of a sacred story, the pair are implicitly inviting the Spirit to join the conversation.
Claiming our stories as sacred can be empowering. Reframing our stories can lead to healing. Sharing our stories can be liberating. Have you considered sharing your stories with a spiritual companion?
Invitation to Wonder: Do you consider your story to be sacred? What title would you give your life story?
