One of my favourite story quotes is from an American poet called Muriel Rukeyser, who said: “The universe is made not of atoms but of stories.”
I can find meaning in this quote on many different levels but today it’s telling me that the small stories are every bit as important as the big ones.
So I have set myself a challenge: find a small story to write about in 15 minutes that will offer some insight about the power of stories to you, the reader.
Yesterday, I was strolling along the banks of the Thames at Marlow. The sky was a beautiful late-summer blue, boats were messing about on the river, people were feeding the ducks and swans, mums and dads were buying ice creams for their kids, and several times I heard passers-by say: “What a beautiful day.”
The scene was picture-perfect – and seemed even more enjoyable because it was happening on a day when most people were at work.
Apart from a profound feeling of gratitude that I was part of this idyllic scene and not cooped up in an office, it got me thinking about the choices we make.
Do we need to be inhabiting a story about a sunny day by the river in order to have a beautiful day? Could we have an equally beautiful day wherever we are, including at a desk in an office? Can we tell ourselves a story about having a beautiful day at work?
On Thursday I will be sitting in front of a computer in an office, and I’m going to set the intention of having a beautiful day.
It’s all about the story we tell ourselves – and the small stories have just as much impact as the big ones.
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