For Sock Bombs in the Living Room

I believe in the power of true stories that come from ordinary life.

            Amy Krouse Rosenthal introduces her book Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life with the following: 

“I am not a drug addict, sex addict, food addict, or recovered anything.  If I indeed had a past life, I have no recollection of who I was. 

“I have not survived against all odds.

“I have not lived to tell.

“I have not witnessed the extraordinary. 

“This is my story.”

            Through Amy Rosenthal’s quirky observations about life, I felt a real connection to her, more than I’ve ever felt with another author.  In fact, it was through this book that I gained a better understanding of what creative non-fiction is and compelled me to create the same kind of content for others. 

            I believe that the power of a true story about ordinary life is not only in its relatability, but also in its ability to create trust between people.  Every day we share our experiences with those around us, from what it was like to get caught in the rain, to how it feels to be late to work, to what we had for breakfast.  Then when we feel that someone has listened with real intent to what we have been saying, our stories about experiences become more personal, because we have gotten to a point where we are comfortable with sharing these things with that other person.  Creating relationships like these, encourages understanding and empathy for other people.

            To convey this feeling in my presentation, I wanted to represent various settings of life that are the most familiar to me and my audience, so I chose the living room/kitchen area, a car, and a park.  Then I wanted to infuse these settings with real stories—those of my own and those of others. 

In the first setting I invited a member of the audience to tell me a story about their childhood in the form of an interview.  Through this form, I invited the audience to actively listen and relate to an “everyday” story.  Then in the second setting, I re-enacted a memory of my siblings and I singing in the car on the way to get ice cream.  For me, this memory is very important to me, because it was one of the last times I got to spend with my sister, Rachel, before she left on a mission.  Lastly, in the final setting of the park, I wanted to portray a current story. So I invited two of my friends to have a normal conversation while playing catch. 

These are the stories I love.  These are the stories that connect us.