Telling the Right Story

"Sometimes the right person tells the right story at the right moment, and

through a combination of luck and design, a creative expression gains new force."

-Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton: The Revolution

It's been nagging at me a lot lately; maybe because of unkept resolutions, maybe because of too much television, maybe because of life-altering moments I've experienced lately. Tell your story. Every last bit of it. You see, you never know who needs to hear it.

My grandfather moved here from Denmark when he was just a little kid. We have a portrait of his signature in the log books at Ellis Island. My grandmother lost both her parents to the Spanish Flu epidemic at the age of 16. What was I doing at those ages? Definitely not starting a new life in a new world, or trying to make it day by day while my siblings depended on me as my world came crashing down around me. Whatever I was doing, it probably involved eating cereal and watching cartoons. What I would give to have that care-free, optimistic outlook again.

But what I have found is that everyone, even me, has something to say. Everyone has a story to tell. Everyone has something that may give a desperate soul a helping hand in their time of darkness. Whether it's through a life-lesson, a recognized illness, a simple act of kindness, or a piece of artwork like a tatoo, your story is important. What I would give to be able to sit down with my grandparents and learn their story. Learn about the Danish culture from my grandfather; learn my grandmother's secret to resilience and fortitude. You see, early on in my last pregnancy I was measuring seven weeks larger than I should. SEVEN WEEKS! My mother was a twin, so the odds were not in my favor of having just one child with this birth. I vividly remember going to my mom who was watching my oldest while I went to my check up. When she asked how it went, I burst into tears. I told her that I might be pregnant with twins, and she laughed. She responded with, "Your grandmother had 4 kids, found out she was pregnant with twins the week before she delivered us, and lived on a farm with no running water. You'll be fine!" Which prompted me to blurt out, "But I'm a wimp!"

As I dealt with an impending divorce a few short years later, I had lunch with a friend one day. I told her the news that had devastated me. Her response? "Oh, that's too bad." It wasn't just what she said, but also how she said it. So flippantly, as if it wasn't a big deal. But here's the thing - I knew her story. I knew that she had been through a nasty divorce, had a baby with special needs, and did not have a job she could count on to provide her with a stable life. It initially upset me because, afterall, how could she be so passive about my situation? But as I remembered what she had been through, I realized that I could someday be as successful and happy as she was now. Her reaction could have been taken as a friendship-ending insult, but rather I took it as a promise that everything would be okay - because she told me here story.

What could I have learned from the story of my grandparents and parents? What battles have my friends faced that I know nothing of? What could have helped me through that agonizing week awaiting the ultrasound to determine that I was, in fact, just fat. What other stories would echo my own in times of trouble?

In the wake of world-altering events, we have finally come to recognize the need for mental health awareness and support. We have learned that we need to TALK about our troubles, get help, and learn to cope. We have learned we need to be more kind, more patient, and more resilient...more than ever.

So tell your story, no matter how boring it may seem. It doesn't matter if you become a published author, a best-selling novelist, or a dusty journal found in a box some day. Tell your story. Tell it well. Because there's another quote from Hamilton: The Revolution that warns if you don't: "You have no control. Who lives, who dies, who tells your story."