Sunday, May 15, 2011

The new oral tradition

I was thinking about blogging during Sunday School today. Well, that isn't quite right. I was thinking about what blogging means, what it is, what it does. This all sounds too philosophical. . .

Really, I was thinking about togetherness. And telling stories.

We read the parables of the lost sheep and the lost piece of silver. I didn't raise my hand to join the others who took turns sharing what stood out to them in the verses we read, but I was struck by the phrase "Rejoice with me." It crops up a few times in those verses and I couldn't help but think how, in many ways, blogging allows us to rejoice together. We can "calleth together [our] friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have ____________!" (Fill in the blank. . . I have made a pie! I have done something funny! I have had a baby!) We get to relish in the small and happy moments together.

Telling stories allow us to do this, and blogging is our new public square. It's oral tradition reincarnate. It's rejoicing together. I've learned while writing my stories down that even though our stories aren't perfect, or expected or sometimes even our own, they are important and worth sharing. Because we've created a community of learning by story telling. By sharing, listening, imagining, remembering, and rejoicing, we take part in making more togetherness.

And that's important. Because people are important.

4 comments:

erin said...

love this. can I re-post? giving you the credit of course. It just gives a lot of meaning to my blogging obsession. A lot of good, positive meaning. Thanks for sharing your thoughts as always.

Unknown said...

erin, of course! i'm glad you can relate.

and p.s. i'm excited we'll know someone in the dc area when we come out there in a year or so...

Beth said...

I completely agree with this, Paige. I was thinking about your blog in RS yesterday actually and thinking about how I should find ways to blog too, tell my stories.

Jessie said...

This post definitely hit me in a very good and profound way.

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