Stories

I'm going to write again with no goal in mind. Let's see what happens.

So my daughter and I like to tell each other stories. I'll tell one, then she'll tell one, and so on. Usually each consecutive story builds upon the previous one, as if each telling entails a chapter. She'll sometimes ask me to tell a story when I'm not feeling in the story-telling mood, but I'll often acquiesce because it's a simple request and stories are easy enough to make up, right? Yes! I used to not think so, but the pressure to make up tales has taught me a valuable lesson: just go with it.

I think I have a fear of being wrong, or doing the wrong thing. That would explain why I'm hesitant to just make up a story on the spot--I don't want to tell a crappy story. I like to take my time when I convey messages...to make the most out of every word in every sentence. Yet, every time I've reluctantly told her a story (i.e. made it up on the spot), it seems to have worked out.

On our most recent story-telling adventure, we were driving home from the Atlantis Shuttle launch, and just as I was settling down for a nice quiet drive, it happened..."Papa, would you tell me a story?"

...

"Allright, Baby. Give me a second to think about it." At that instant, I realized that to her, telling stories was a very important experience. How easy would it have been to say "No, Dear. Not right now"? Very... she's such a sweet child that she would've taken that rejection with calm. But how kind would it have been to say that (and, yes, I've said it before)?

So I told a story, and I decided to create a theatric atmosphere to boot, with effort given to intonation, different voices, and volume at applicable times. And do you know what? She really enjoyed it--she even told me that I was getting better at telling stories! Boy howdy... and all it takes is flickin' off some inner demons.

So what did I do differently? I told my inner-perfectionist to take a hike. And only now, as of this writing, do I realize what a jerk he can be sometimes.