Lamenting about a wild bird that has flown away does little good. No matter how you wish it would come back, it’s improbable the bird will fly back. Let’s face it: this bird has flown!
As I see it, the point of storytelling isn’t to lament about the “good old days.” Maybe they were good. Or maybe our selective memory forgets that the past had just as much pain and struggle as the present. After all, were the good old days really that good?
When we tell our stories, we hope others will learn from our mistakes and triumphs. Otherwise, we might sound like the boring old guy Bruce Sprintgsteen sings about in Glory Days. (Between this song and referencing Norwegian Wood, I’m in a bit of a classic rock mood today.)
A good story has both the good and the bad, its victories and failures. Because life is never as perfect, nor as hopeless as we believe.
Tell your story today. But don’t make it sound like a greatest hits album. After all, this bird has flown.
