Category Archives: Our Storied Lives

How our lives unfold in our storied context

Our Fearful Fable

Posted on November 7, 2013 by David Thompson

All of our stories are fictions, and our meaningful fictions are true.  I believe that meaningful stories unite universal understandings with the particularities of our personal and local experiences.  Honoring the particular in the universal, and the universal in the … Continue reading →

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Confessions of a Nontheist

Posted on January 6, 2012 by David Thompson

Preface: This blog is my attempt to build a new language of stories, a language built from stories told and collected here. Each piece is an aspect of our storied experience, and each piece is part of my attempt to … Continue reading →

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A Clan of Two

Posted on December 20, 2011 by David Thompson

A matronly figure in her mid-50’s was jostling her luggage into the overhead bin. She paused to study me and my ponytail sitting by the window, then she maneuvered into her aisle seat. Holding her matching seat-belt ends in position, … Continue reading →

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A Slow Meeting

Posted on August 1, 2011 by David Thompson

When I’m asked to work with a group on their shared problem, a problem so difficult that they seek outside help, the common next question is: “Should we gather in a meeting to talk about it?” I’ve learned to respond … Continue reading →

Posted in Group Problem Resolution, Our Storied Lives | 6 Comments

Who Are We Now?

Posted on May 11, 2011 by David Thompson

Edward, now in his 70’s, confessed his failing memory, then he disclosed his identity-transforming secret to his daughter Jean. His disclosure was born from careful calculus. He’d thoughtfully weighed the benefits and risks: the benefits of helping his family help … Continue reading →

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We Become What We Measure

Posted on April 14, 2011 by David Thompson

The young girl, near 15, sat across from her grandfather in the neighboring coffee shop table. She sat with fixed attention on her cell phone, she paused to take inventory, then said to her grandfather: “I have twelve email messages; … Continue reading →

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Where Do Problems Come From ?

Posted on April 7, 2011 by David Thompson

It was the first time I’d met Sally. She was one of more than 20 Edcore staff I was interviewing, collecting their shared story, the pieces to a complex problem they wanted resolved. Sally offered her trust. She was a … Continue reading →

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The Value of Affording to Know

Posted on March 22, 2011 by David Thompson

I received an email question about my previous post, Confluence of Cultural Stories, from a friend. He insightfully noticed the story’s absence of resolution, resolution of struggle and frustration in the multi-layered Paraguayan Guarani-Mennonite dilemma.  Here is his question, and … Continue reading →

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Confluence of Cultural Stories

Posted on March 7, 2011 by David Thompson

“She threw it on the ground”, complained Sara, the young Mennonite woman. Then Sara said she wanted to move back to Canada where she’d attended college. Sara was raised here in Paraguay’s arid Chaco Region. We met her in her … Continue reading →

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Story Resilience is Pac-Man Resistance

Posted on February 28, 2011 by David Thompson

The meeting was between two companies. One company, let’s call them Solution Inc., was pitching a solution to another company, let’s call them Problem Inc., who was facing a nagging, multi-million dollar, complex problem. Problem Inc. was sensing their own … Continue reading →

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How Bob Creates What He Expects

Posted on January 17, 2011 by David Thompson

I poked my head from our front door to smell the air. The mysterious tailless cat was sunning on a porch chair, confidently donning his gray and brown striped suit against his bright white belly. I petted him. Later, my … Continue reading →

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The Question

Posted on January 10, 2011 by David R. Thompson

The question is posed. There it floats, slowly evaporating in the center of the room. The question offers a truth, truth about what is alive within the questioner, thoughts driving the questioner’s emotions and animating her to speak. The question … Continue reading →

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Rightest Person in the Room?

Posted on December 30, 2010 by David Thompson

Seven of us are gathering around the table. Each of us is bringing considerable skills, each of us is ill prepared for our mutual task, and together our weaknesses are amplified. Crippled by our educational training, from marinating in competitive … Continue reading →

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Condemning Frog Stories

Posted on December 24, 2010 by David Thompson

Wonder was sitting among his lily pad cluster, snatching the occasional mosquito, and surfing his breaking thought waves. After freshly graduating, cum laude, from the Advanced Frog Academy, with citations in oral-marksmanship, long hopping, and deep croaking, Wonder was both … Continue reading →

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Which Stories?

Posted on December 16, 2010 by David Thompson

AMID and USER Stories Story means many things. Some stories describe what happened, or what we believe will happen, and some stories are created to stimulate our wonder and emotions. These stories are often less about what animates us, and … Continue reading →

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Freedom From Story Condemnation: Part 2, Stream and Pond Stories

Posted on December 13, 2010 by David Thompson

As we passed the baton of conversation, Lee pointed me to the metaphorical lines from The Silver Chair, by C. S. Lewis. A thirsty little girl named Jill encounters the powerful and wise Lion, Aslan, as she approaches a stream … Continue reading →

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Freedom from Storied Condemnation

Posted on December 7, 2010 by David Thompson

I met Lee at a gathering, a celebration for a friend who had finished his Nursing degree at age 50. Lee was an 80 year old man, soft spoken, unassuming, and quiet among animated conversation. Eventually, Lee started asking insightful … Continue reading →

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A Sticky Motorcycle Story

Posted on December 5, 2010 by David Thompson

Sometimes our stories are so attractive, or so seductive, that we resist amending them in the face of contravening experience. This little story is embarrassingly close to how our minds often work: A mischievous motorcyclist is cruising along a back … Continue reading →

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Happy If

Posted on November 29, 2010 by David Thompson

My mind hiccups thoughts, random narratives laced with a false promise: Dog doo inconsiderately on the path, car impatiently close, expected assurances not forthcoming, too rainy, too sunny, too too too, stirring commotion rippling my glassy silence, underwear creeping, aching … Continue reading →

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A Leaf’s Story

Posted on November 25, 2010 by David Thompson

What is truth, to whom is it told Once it is said the truth grows old What once did no longer applies So change we must if truth survives What say the leaf as it does fall Reaching the ground … Continue reading →

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