Stories are a foundation of what makes us human.
We tell stories to entertain. We laugh and we cry when we hear stories told on the big screen, or small screen, depending on where you’re watching. We tell stories to educate. The story of Juan Tamad teaches us the value of working smart and working hard. We tell stories to connect. When we share stories with family and friends, we form bonds with one another. And lastly, we tell stories to inform. Through our gadgets and social media, we now can easily discover and learn what is happening with our world.
Sadly, a lot of what we hear about today is bad news. Stories about how there are many things going wrong in various parts of the world. While these stories serve a purpose in informing us, we must always remember that there are also good things taking place. And, there is nothing more inspiring than a good story.
In his book Coraline, Neil Gaiman paraphrased a quote from GK Chesterton that goes: “Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten. This is not limited to fairy tales, however. Within our community alone, we find stories that have overcome their own “dragons.”
There are stories about Lasallian frontliners who continue to risk their lives in the fight against COVID. There are stories about Lasallians who helped their countrymen recover their lives after the siege of Marawi, after Typhoon Ondoy, and after Typhoon Ulysses. There are stories about Lasallians standing up against tyranny. And, there are also stories about small acts that create a big impact, like how a group of Lasallians raised funds to buy face shields for their local PUV drivers.
On 18 August 2020, The Good Stories Movement was launched with the goal of changing people’s narratives by shining the spotlight on the good rather than the bad. So, we invite everyone to share their good stories, no matter how big or small, with the Good Stories Movement. The stories we tell, after all, dictate the values we hold dear, and what better way to promote the idea of generosity, ingenuity, and bravery, than by sharing good stories that can inspire and set hearts on fire.
You may visit the Good Stories Movement website to learn more about their advocacy and how to share your own good stories.