Some of our stories, perhaps even many of them, are lost treasures, unspoken.
Back in July when the New Horizons Board of Directors agreed it was time to support me, personally, in what had been brewing for a good while; the notion that my stories, personal and professional, needed to be more widely aired than they had been, by way of offering a contribution to our national and local growth and betterment, the plan, getting my stories out into the world, felt both liberating and frightening.
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| "Anastasia The Storyteller" with Marge Hulburt, Two Wise Women and a writing coach, Marge |
Now I was to be given assistance to come out from behind the shield I had created out of my position as Executive Director and Founder of the organization. But I was feeling a touch of resistance; fear was what it was.
Someday, on our shared storytelling adventures, I am likely to get around to telling this one to you; the one about Anastasia becoming an overnight celebrity entrepreneur and ruing the day she allowed the quest for fame and fortune to dominate her life; more precisely the life I lived as an excitement junkie.
Whoa is me to anyone else that gets themselves caught in that trap!
That is if what you truly value is compromised in the process.
Tales for another time!
My board and myself had, nonetheless, come up with a press release we felt satisfied could usher in this new direction, in a way that appropriately represented the organization, New Horizons, I had long headed, circa 1973, as well as how I might present myself, taking this bold “coming out” step.
Lisa Board Member, who chairs our Communications Committee, suggested that while we were intent on opening the door to the in depth, behind the scenes impetus, theoretical and operational foundations of New Horizons; its many projects and programs, along with my personal and professional experiences that had fostered it, we should research various media outlets to find where there might be a good fit for this outreach endeavor.
Among the resources Lisa suggested was StoryCorps which, at first, did not seem to be an appropriate venue for my objectives. Then came the day; the day of the Eclipse, when something almost startling moved me to check out StoryCorps further.
Now what might you expect on a day when our whole country was watching the moon completely cover the sun; an almost once in a lifetime event, if not something magical?
Boosted by the eclipse, I feel certain, I discovered much to my delight in contacting StoryCorps. Exploring the vast systematic approach and almost endless informational resources for storytelling, story listening and story recording, created by the StoryCorps project, including story archiving at the Library of Congress for infinity, I found a vehicle for, not only sharing my stories, but also a means for my doing that in company with others.
G-d bless Dave Isay who created StoryCorps and the entire StoryCorps staff for this gorgeous gift!
Yippee!
What could be better for a woman, me, who had long ago steadfastly decided she did not want to, ever again allow herself to be visible to the "public" eye, unless she was public in the company of others -- in other words a community?
Add to that fact that our storytelling project could now develop, communally, was that, most amazingly, just at a time when New Horizons viable possibilities for community contribution seemed to be nil, we had actually discovered a surprising next step for our overall mission; “building small “zones of peace” wherever we can.” Next we would carry forth our mission with storytelling as a vehicle!
Partnering with StoryCorps, as New Horizons is now doing, we are on our way to establishing a vehicle for not only sharing my stories, but engaging many others in the richly rewarding experience of sharing stories. Our overarching mission here will be to create a collection of stories, “The Official New Horizons Small "Zones Of Peace" Storytelling Collection, that can help the various communities within which we are active, Frederick, Maryland and the region of the one hundred mile radius of the White House, to strengthen personal connections within families, with friends, neighbors and the general community.
If we can, thus, combine my personal agenda, regarding my stories, with the rich reward of collecting these, along with stories of others throughout our community, we might again have something worthwhile to offer our various communities, even in this time of enormous societal turbulence and polarization. We are intent on doing our very best to obtain this objective!
So far so good, if we can judge by the growing numbers of people who seem to be enjoying the blog articles I am posting on our new Storytelling Workshop Series where we will be teaching people how to be both good story tellers as well as engaged and curious story listeners.
And the lively Anastasia The Radio Show that board member, Steve Lebherz, and I broadcasted this past Sunday, has, also, so far had a respectable listenership on podcast. Steve and I were pleased with how our teamwork progressed in the planning of the show and on the air.
We are now looking forward to our next show of ---
“The Small "Zones of Peace" Storytelling Workshop Series Online”
Thursday, October 12, 4:00 p.m.
Topic to soon be determined. Details will be forthcoming.
In the meantime, find a bit of inspiration for what lies ahead by listening to the podcast of --
This next show, will be just in time, we are hoping, to inspire people to want to join us at the first event of our new Storytelling Workshop Series.
Storytelling Workshop Series -- Live
A Vehicle For Overcoming Today’s Social and Political Polarization
Saturday, October 14, November 11, and December 2, 2017
2:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Frederick Friends Meeting House
723 N. Market Street
Frederick, Maryland
Be sure to read our many articles on the theme of storytelling
Reserve early, space is limited!
Donations are encouraged, suggested amount: $20.
For Details and Reservations, Contact: Anastasia Rosen-Jones
Email: HarpersFerryNH@aol.com Cell: 240.409.5347
Your opportunity to have your personal story archived, for infinity, in the StoryCorps/Small “Zones of Peace” Library of Congress collection.
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