T here was a large puddle by the side of a road. As a lady was walking on the sidewalk, a car drove through the puddle and she was drenched head to foot. Shaking with rage, she glared at the car as it drove away. Then she looked around at the other people looking at her, and worrying about what others could be thinking of her, she stuffed her anger down inside and walked on with an icy expression. She was very angry and upset the whole day. This little incident had spoilt her day (and if she is not careful she could spoil the day for others too). A little later, as another woman walked by on the same sidewalk, a truck drove through the puddle, and dirty water splashed all over her. Shocked, she looked down at her drenched clothing for several seconds before bursting into laughter. And as she walked on down the sidewalk, she remembered all those times as a child that she and her friends had played out in the rain, stomping puddles and laughing with delight. An hour later...
As a learning tool, storytelling can encourage us to explore their unique expressiveness and can heighten our ability to communicate thoughts and feelings in an articulate, lucid manner. These benefits transcend the art experience to support daily life skills. In our fast-paced, media-driven world, storytelling can be a nurturing way to remind us that spoken words are powerful, that listening is important, and that clear communication between people is an art.