National Tell A Story Day 27th April 2020 Today is National Tell a Story Day. It is a day when people of all ages are encouraged to tell a story – either a well-loved book from adult or childhood, a story from their imagination or something that they want to share – a childhood memory or something interesting that has happened to them. Libraries, on this day, very often have special times set aside for storytelling to children. Storytelling is an ancient practice that has gone on for generations as a way of passing on knowledge, family history and traditions. Who remembers their grandparents telling them of when they were young and the life that they had? My own father very often used to tell me his tales of when he was in the Navy and the countries that he visited and the people he met and the food they had eaten while abroad. The photo albums came out and it was a big part of my childhood. The stories continued into my adulthood and they are among the many fond memories I have of my dad. As witches, we do love a book and a storytelling. Very often we share what books and stories we are reading at the moment, be them fact or fiction. It’s a way of learning from each other and from those that were before us – passing down through storytelling: spells, potions, recipes and how they lived.
We enjoy reading and sharing stories about prominent pagan people and witches from earlier times, what worked for them and then seeing how we can incorporate the bits we like into our practice, to then share with others. Authors of today sharing their wealth of knowledge and stories of how they came to be on their particular paths. Books to be passed down to future generations. Who else loves to sit around a bonfire or firepit on a late summer evening – wrapped up in a blanket, with a mug of hot chocolate listening to storytelling? Families listening to stories of old and new, friends listening to and sharing folktales, strangers gathered around having a likeminded interest in a talk – all these are ways of bringing us together in laughter and sometimes tears, but always memories for us to pass down to younger generations for them to tell their stories and so on.. So, today, tell a story – be it in person with some friends, online if this isn’t possible. It doesn’t have to be a long story or even a true one. You can even share your stories in the comments, we’d love to hear them..
