Your Stories Can Bring Together Communities and Are Needed Now

There are certain life experiences that are forever etched in our memories.

For me, one such memory occurred in April of this year - just a few short months ago.

It is a warm Spring day and I am in a large room with uncomfortable wooden benches I am seated in the first row with my siblings on each side of me. I have my arms around each of my brothers. I am wearing a badly fitting, wrinkled dark suit, which I had stuffed into a suitcase just a few days before, as I had left Miami for New York in haste. As I sit there, I’m self-conscious, and sad, uncontrollably sobbing, and feeling many eyes on the back of my head.

I am at my father’s funeral service.; that moment you know will come, but are never prepared for when it does.

As the service begins, I quickly turn around and am overcome with deeper emotion. I see over 150 people of different ages, generations, races, religions and locations. Among the attendees, are my friends and relatives, friends of my parents, their children, and their children’s children, members of my Dad’s synagogue and his charitable organizations . 150 people – a pretty extraordinary sight, given that my Dad is 94 years old.

I am exploding with pride.

My Dad touched so many lives, and because of his non-judgmental and empathetic demeanor, created bonds with so many people, crossing generations and backgrounds. The thing that my Dad did better than anyone else I know was to tell stories and to listen to the stories of others, with genuine curiosity and joy. He was a journalist, a humorist, an intellectual, a punster - and, well, Dad.

I think about him every day -- so many stories I want to share with him (I still reach for the phone to call him, then stop myself) – and I honor his legacy in the work that I do – helping people discover their own stories that will inspire others. The stories that help build community, and heal community.

My Dad knew that storytelling is essential to community. It builds empathy and understanding, two of his most important values. When we share our stories, we bring people together, creating a sense of belonging.

Our stories Inspires collective action, motivating community members to work together. Storytelling celebrates diverse perspectives, promoting inclusivity and building stronger relationships.

In these particularly divisive times, sharing our stories may be more important than ever – to help bring about greater understanding, and help heal.

We all know that when people share their stories with each other and are heard, magic happens. People connect. Walls dissolve. Relationships are made. Trust increases. Wisdom is transmitted. A common language is born. And a deep sense of interdependence is felt.