The Story Teller

The Story Teller of Damascus

If you go to the eastern gate of the old city of Damascus, by the third most sacred mosque in the world, you will find the arabic story teller. Sitting in the coffee bar there you will taste some of the wonderful hospitality of the arabic world.

Whilst you might understand little you will know that somehow you are part of an ancient ritual of history-the wonderful ritual of story telling.

It is said of Damascus that is part of a so called axis of evil. It is also said that no story ever told in the world wasn’t first told on the streets of this most ancient of cities.

The price of stories is on the rise. No not the stories of fantasy and escapism; neither the stories of the rich and famous. But the stories of the ordinary people of this world, even and especially those caught up in the tragedy of Georgia.

Extraordinary stories from ordinary people.

Thanks Paul Wood for this incredible picture.

Walking into the future Bilbo Baggins style

Right now today, there are incredible journeys taking place, whether it be that of Ingrid Betancourt rescued out of 7yrs of captivity in Columbia, or 59 so called “sex slaves”, freed from appalling imprisonment in Glasgow, Scotland. Journeys are powerful.

It was Bilbo Baggins who said what a wonderful and dangerous thing it is to walk out of your own front door. ” You step out on the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” So that has been my experience and that of many who have walked with me as we have journeyed across Europe, quite literally walking from one continent into another through the global gateway city of Istanbul. The sights and sounds of each and every city and nation we have passed through feed the memories for months afterwards, bringing life to the soul when the drearyness of the routines of life crowd in.

I can imagine the image you get is of a bunch of super fit walking fanatics! Far from it! Its the love of the journey and the wonder of life on the road that draws us; the companionship of meandering down the coastal roads of southern France, alongside mates I’ve known for years or those who have just joined us for the first time-that’s what excites.  Yet without exception each of us have found an incredible synergy emerging between the life experiences that we are walking through at that particular time and the circumstances or events unfolding in the cities and nations we pass through. How can this be? Does this ring any bells for anyone else out there or has my imagination been flavoured too much by the spice bars of Damascus?

Thats why journeying is so powerful a tool in beginning to get in touch with the story lines in each of our lives. That’s also why I am now beginning this online journey; to see what else can emerge when we simply step out of the door one day, or jump into cyber space, to see where the wind might take us.