Mary Gauthier, singer-songwriter
In a Los Angeles Times story today by Randy Lewis singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier has some wonderful things to say about her past and why singing her story is not painful.
An adopted child, Gauthier didn’t have an interest in tracking down her biological mother until a therapist convinced her it might provide insight and closure.
That didn’t happen. But Gauthier continues to sing about her past. Lewis wonders if doing so only “pokes at old wounds.”
Gauthier says, “There’s no pain in telling the story for me. the pain was in living the story. But I survived, so telling it is liberating and healing.
- A new job
- A new romance
- A better relationship with your children
Many good things can come to us with the right kind of conversation. A unique talk can begin when using story.
Here’s one method:
Ask a question.
It could be simple, silly, serious — or outrageous. Maybe only you know the answer. Or maybe you know you don’t have the answer and would like some help.
When in school, we ask many questions of teachers and friends. But sometimes in life, we’re afraid to ask.
We want to make new friends, impress an employer, run for political office, or join a rock ’n’ roll band, but fear rejection, embarrassment, failure.
Story can be the cure.
Experiment: When meeting someone new, always ask a question that shows interest in their personal story.
Not “What do you do for a living?” but maybe “What about your life do you like best?” or “What has been your biggest challenge?”
Inquiry is flattering when the question is simple but special.
“To be a person is to have a story to tell.”
Isak Dinesen
