Keeping Hope Alive
As I read of the damage as a result of Hurricane Helene, I think back 20 years ago to October 2004 when Karen, Daniel and I attended our first Storytelling Festival. The biggest in the nation, National Storytelling Festival, is held in Jonesborough, TN with an estimated attendance of 10,000 people over three days and two nights. This year the festival was abruptly cancelled due to widespread damage across the Southeast as a result of the hurricane.
Our travel plans 20 years ago were also interrupted by a hurricane that had touched ground in Atlanta. It was far smaller in size, and nearly over by the time we arrived. However, the hurricane did disrupt all planes flying through Southeastern states. We were to connect in Atlanta with a flight to Knoxville, TN and later drive to Nashville, TN. After a significant time circling in the sky, the pilot advised us that we were to fly into Nashville to refuel. We sat on the tarmac long enough to watch another movie as we waited for an open gate. I requested to exit the plane in Nashville and we did. We returned the following day to retrieve our luggage.
The National Storytelling Festival enriched our lives from that moment forward, as we enjoyed listening to many stories and storytellers. We have attended Northern California festivals nearly year since – sometimes 2 or 3 in a year. We own more than a dozen CDs containing entertaining stories, life stories, music and words of wisdom. One outcome of my involvement with storytelling, is being an instructor of life writing workshops through Sierra College Osher Lifelong Learning Institute each semester.
Tonight I listened to a fundraising concert presented by storytellers in a theater in Jonesborough to help people in need. Donald Davis was the closing teller. We have enjoyed his stories in person many times. His peers affectionately refer to him as the master of tellers. Donald told a story from his childhood describing a fire that completely destroyed a huge furniture store and factory. The store was the major employer of the small town where he lived. Many referred to the event as a disaster. Some also lost their homes.
Donald described seeing a family with a young daughter holding a doll. When asked about the doll, the girl said, “The people gave me the doll.” The doll’s name was Hope. “My mom named it,” she said. He continued his story and concluded by saying, “Fires, floods and earthquakes are not disasters. The only real disaster is the loss of hope.”
If you feel inspired to make a donation to the United Way of East Tennessee Highlands, this is the direct link received in my email announcing the concert.
As Donald said, “You may think donations are buying food, housing or transportation, what you are really doing is buying hope.
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=TPWNVDVTLQ5TU
May stories of hope, wonder, humor and wisdom live forever in your heart.
