Photo by Arthur Tumasjan.
Stories Matter: A Gift to the World by Dianna Maria Catigan.
Magical fairies, flame-breathing dragons, a beautiful princess, and a daring knight. All of which are popular tropes to many beloved childhood stories. Stories open a path filled with imagination and creativity. They offer valuable morals and lessons that we continue to follow each day. Whether we are still learning to navigate the world or beginning to grow old, stories hold a valuable meaning to us all. The words that flow through our mouths and the words that decorate the pages of our books are magic in their unique way. Just as how magic flows through a magician’s fingertips, I will show the magic of the importance of stories in this essay.
From a young age, I was inquisitive about the world around me. I always had my head in the clouds and spent much of my time daydreaming. The stories I read just continued to fuel that imagination. Of all the genres I read, I always favored the fantasy genre. I adored reading books about magic, mythical creatures, and the unknown. Most importantly, I loved how the authors created a world filled with lovable characters and touched upon problems that we often face today. It inspired me to be more creative and adventurous, just as the characters of the stories I dearly loved.
Throughout our early years, we were told fables that characterized human morals. Due to our age, we are easily impressionable; these stories helped shape us to become the person we are today. As I continue to grow older, I still hold many of these moral lessons close to my heart. Though it may not be evident at first, I continued to practice the teachings of these short stories. It is easy to brush aside these stories due to the childishness associated with it, but we mustn’t forget the importance that it serves.
When the days went by slowly and there was not much to do, my grandma would always usher me close to whisper the stories of her past. I’d listen eagerly and always asked questions; I was curious about what her life was long before she came here to Saipan. The stories ranged from her early years to her getting married and raising my mom and uncles. These moments were those that I treasured very much, it wasn’t often that we both had the time to sit together and enjoy each other’s company. At the end of the day, smiles both adorned our faces.
From fairy tales to stories of the past, it is undeniable that stories are powerful. We can connect and remember the past. present, and future with our words. Stories aren’t limited to the words we say or the writings and books that we read; everywhere you look there is a story that is waiting to be told. In this instance, won’t you say that the world is just a giant storybook?