“We tell ourselves stories in order to live”

Written by: Lily Dorranian

“We tell ourselves stories in order to live”

These are the words of prolific writer and Journalist, Joan Didion. It is a phrase that has rung true throughout the entire history of mankind, an enduring and fundamental aspect of human nature. Stories are our ultimate talisman. They transport meaning, culture, life, education, empathy and humanity into every era of mankind. Without stories, we would know nothing about the world, we would be ignorant to the suffering of humanity as well as its peaks. Why is it so important to tell stories? I could give you a short answer, that it builds community or connects people, but it is so much deeper than that.

Story-telling is a tool, a medium of insight that is shared amongst all dimensions of time. It is prevalent in every area of study, in every form, from academic papers to oral traditions within Indigenous cultures. It is found within the world, and the world is found within it. There would be no empathy, no community, no connection, no revolution or resistance without the existence of stories. You would not know the grievances and suffering of women across the world, the ones who cannot speak. You know of the laws or rules, but you know not of the women and young girls who suffer under them. You can hear the statements, you can see indictments, but you can never know them. Stories are the most fundamental tool to a revolution, because it rips off the mask and reveals the truth that is hidden in between the letters and words of ignorance. You would not know of the cruel violence that lurks in alleys or corners, in schools or in churches, you would not know the quiet invasion of minds and the grooming of society on young girls, you would not know the abuse, you would not know the discrimination, you would not know the experience, the feelings, the connection. You would not know the community. You would be isolated from the world, stuck in a white room with four walls, a roof and floor, boxed away from your humanity. Where would your humanity be if you knew nothing of the suffering? If you turned a blind eye?

This article is different from the rest. It is more of an ode or homage to the story-tellers around the world. The women, queer, BIPOC, disabled and every other non-male individual who are so brave, every day, to tell their stories. Whether they shout them from mountain tops or in court rooms, or if they whisper them behind a cupped ear. Every story counts, every message counts, and every person who will listen is another piece of evidence that shows there is still humanity in this world. Know the stories and look for the messages, feel the heartbreak or the suffering, let it fill you and let it build like a giant wave. Ride it and let it carry you outside of the immovable white void. Listen to the stories and you will hear the cries of our ancestors, the martyrs who died for us. Listen to the stories and you will hear the children in Gaza, the girls in Afghanistan, the women who spend their entire life living at the mercy of a man.

Stories are a slate blank with universal applicability, the words we speak and sentences we curate hold a mirror to the readers and show us an alternate universe, a different world, a place where we can hear and see the things we know but can’t connect with. We tell ourselves stories in order to live.

I was inspired to write this short piece from an event on the 7th of March I had the privilege of attending and participating in. It was a Slam Poetry event, in celebration of International Women’s Day, held and organised by @_dollvified in Glebe, Sydney. I had the honour of listening to some of the most talented women and individuals I have ever come across, I had the privilege of being invited into their worlds and their perspectives, I had the privilege to listen. The work was phenomenal.

Events and moments like these, no matter how small or large the attendance is, are the most important. You don’t just listen to stories, you learn to hear the cries and screams you have never heard before. You listen closer and closer and you learn the face and the life of women you only know from the sounds of letters and words in a sentence. You are transported into their world and are invited to see the things they see, you are taken on a journey in their mind. Such vulnerability should be appreciated and known.

Here are a some of the pieces that were performed. Of course not all are included here, but if you click on the title of the work, it will take you to another page where you can read it.

‘i am the queen of nonsense’ - Written by: @_dollvified

‘Brand New Diamond Ring’ - Written by Milena Milovanovic

‘Agent Orange’ - Written by Milena Milovanovic

‘Diamond Days’ - Written by Milena Milovanovic

‘Real Love’ - Written By Millie (@inbetweendayze)

‘There is a Method to Madness’ - Written by Lily Dorranian

‘Ptah’ - Written by Lily Dorranian

‘A Man's Conviction’ - Written by Faye Lee

‘A guide in constructing the braids of an Indigo child’ - Written by Indigo Loau

‘Pot plants’ - Written by Indigo Loau