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Audio post Writing and Reading Oct 2 2012

Today I recorded and posted some of the stories in this blog. Recording the stories changed the way we understood them. It was a new way to understand the stories, not just with written and read words but with spoken words.

It has been 106 days since the fire. We have written 87 stories in those 106 days. In all we have made 107 posts, one more than the number of days. Twenty of the posts are visual, they are photo essays. Nine, September 1 to September 9 are recorded as audio files.

Writing the stories is a process that takes us both into a place of reflection on the days and weeks events. Each afternoon and evening I discus with my spouse what the story should be and how I should write it. Sometimes I write part of it and read it to him for input. Usually I write the stories after he goes to bed but before midnight. Each morning, over breakfast, I read him the story I wrote while he was sleeping.

Some mornings it is hard for me to read them. Even after sleeping on them they can touch me deeply. Interestingly, the stories touch my heart more than the events themselves. I suppose the stories are compressed and focus on how we understood the event.

Being a character in the event it is not the same as being a character in the story about the event. Reflecting on the event is a unique experience of understanding what went on. That is why psychotherapy works so well. You are able to step back from the situation and interpret it with the help of another person who is focused on helping you understand and interpret your experience.

Reflecting on the events of the past 106 days, 107 times, has helped us interpret what we are experiencing. Without interpretation we would not understand what was happening to us. Refection through writing and through reading aloud to share with others wraps our irreality with reality.

Building One Home Blog Stories on Tape

To listen to all of the stories, you will need to have a wordpress account. You can listen to the three before you will have to obtain a log-in.