Somewhere inside us is a need to tell someone else something that happened to us. That thing is called a story. Stories are the glue that connects us, brings us together. And, sometimes, separates us, dividing us in ways we could never imagine.

                Okay, so what’s your story? What’s that one thing making you different from everyone else? Some of my friends are all about running, which is cool because I’m one of those weirdos. I enjoy running outside. On a treadmill? Not so much. But that’s the magic thing connecting us together, even if it’s for a few short minutes out in the summer heat.

                Then I have other friends who I think are crazy. They run, yes. But they also ride their bikes and swim. Some people call them triathletes. Yeah, I guess you can call them that. Personally, I think they’re all nuts. Then again, I’d bet they feel the same about me, running 50 miles or more in one race. So, we’ve both got stories about our races, training, and shortcomings as athletes.

                What about those friends, and yes, I know you have them too, who are the biggest nerds ever! These are the folks who love Doctor Who, Supernatural, and everything connected to Star Wars, Marvel, D.C., and of course, Star Trek. There is nothing wrong with these people, but I’m sure they have stories about comic book conventions they’ve attended where they met their heroes or favorite actors. Perhaps they embarrassed themselves in front of said hero or left a long-lasting impression on them.

                How about the connoisseurs of finer things. Finer things could be anything from coffee to records and music, art, literature, beer or fine dining, and the plating of a meal. Listen to someone talk about their favorite roast, their most decadent ice cream experience, or the emotions they feel after looking at a piece of pottery. You know immediately which friends fall into this category. They border on being a snob, but their passion is one of these items they are experts in.

                I love listening to the experts on these and many other subjects. Because I often hear their story embedded deep in their extensive knowledge, and what is funny, but only when you are listening, is hearing how little they know about the subject. And it’s fun to listen to them ramble on, knowing they have no idea what they are saying – but they say it with such conviction you believe it. At least until you get home or have a half-a-second between their diatribe about the ethical purity of their coffee beans because it was raised by people who weren’t enslaved to the coffee plantations, like the affiliates of corporate coffee shops (like that one that’s got a green logo on their bleached paper cups). And yet, you watched and even carried on a conversation in said corporate coffee shop with this person just last week while they waited for their quad-shot 16 oz. white chocolate mocha with extra whipped cream. But that’s not their story. Their story is the ecologically safe coffee they buy in bulk because they’d never purchase corporate coffee. Unless they were inside that retail store with the red bullseye. Then it’s okay because it’s not technically one of ‘those’ stores. Give me a break.

                 We’re looking for stories, good, bad, or indifferent. We want – no, we must find a way to connect with others. We do that through our own stories. Our stories challenge and make us better when we figure out how they can touch other people.

And, if we’re incredibly blessed, those stories will live on through others telling our story.

What is your story? Let me know in the comments below.