In Dreams…

Storytelling is – and has been – the best form of communication – since.. Forever!

That will never change.

It’s storytelling that has allowed cultures to survive for generations.
Storytelling that brought the news to the masses..

Storytelling is what allows us to thrive.
And it’s in every aspect of communication – fact or fiction, or an amalgamation of both.

It can be flippant or personal, and I have told plenty of both – from all angles and edges – but dreams – dreams have always been the ones that create a connection between the storyteller and their audience.

Sharing your dreams makes you very vulnerable, in the moment – and pit you against time, because dreams eventually evaporate as the real day takes over and your day begins.

When I was growing up, my mom would ask me what I dreamt about when I was sleeping. She did this every day until I moved away to college. She would spend a few minutes of every morning listening to my tales – that I told – complete – with enthusiasm and emotion.

This opportunity to orate built up my storytelling chops, and allowed me to share bits and pieces from the corners of my imagination I had no control over. It was raw and real and I have since passed this tradition on to my daughters.

Every morning, I wake them up – and without fail, at some point, I’ll either ask them about their dreams or they’ll ask to tell me about them.

And they’re just as enthusiastic and emotional as I ever was.

Yesterday, while planning out the day – early in the morning – I was happily disrupted by the trickle of their soft voices. I walked to their room and listened by the door – and they were sharing their dreams with one another.

I cried.
Composed myself.
And joined in to listen.

I heard stories of ghosts and the wonders of driving for the first time from a five year old. Then I was told what life was like as a ballerina in a forest from an eight year old.

It was real. They lived those moments, and ad-libbed in the re-telling…
Creating on the fly to fill in the blanks and sell the story.

It was the best feeling in the world.

In dreams…