Storytelling

Storytelling. I have heard about it but never been to an event with a storyteller. Not one reading aloud from a book, but one person on a stage that has memorized a story, that he/she retells allowing body language as the sole special effects.

We have books, eBooks, audiobooks, movies, TV, internet - with modern technology it is very easy to access stories, but can recommend stepping back just for a couple of hours if you get the chance to listen to a story teller.

If you look it up, story telling has existed for lots of years and is still key source of information in many cultures, that are key source of information, education but also a bond to old traditions, that they wish to preserve.

Through the local BookFriend initiative by Danish Red Cross, I heard Dorte Futtrup tell two stories (Nordic style) in April which was a pleasant encounter with something I had only heard about but never encountered. I am a book lover so it was a nice way of being entertained  without any disturbance of modern technology just like when I reading books. The invitation to the event was sent in an old fashioned letter which was a nice touch as you felt like "back to basics" and no stress. 

The majority of things I do at work depends of modern technology, and I think that is why book reading and crafting appeals to me after work hours to relax and rest - I even try to limit the usage of social media in my spare time + use of phones as does one really need to be that connected all the time?

The following photos are a bit blurred as captured with my iPhone as only camera at hand, but gives you an idea how body language helps Dorte telling her stories.

Bookfriend and The Seventh Child

Original title: Det syvende barn

A while back, I mentioned that I might be doing some volunteer work for the Red Cross - I am actually already doing it: I have become a book friend for lonely elderly woman. Picking up and dropping off library books for her and 1-2 visit every month where we discuss a book, that we have chosen to read. Amazing that you can do volunteer work and read books in order to do it. We are challenging each other a bit regarding the books, as we do have different book taste, but it is nice to get out of the reading comfort zone and encounter new authors etc.

The first book was The Seventh Child by Erik Valeur, which have locally won a lot of prizes albeit some readers find several passages to be a little too long. Interestingly enough so did my book friend only to realize that when she read some of those passages a little too fast she missed small details that combined changed the story and made more meaning. I could not help challenge a colleague who has also read the book - she had fast-read some passages too and she had actually missed out on the same details as my book friend. This underlines this statement, that I recently found on Pinterest.

7 children have more in common that meets the eye - they are all born at the same maternity ward in Copenhagen and all of them are put up for adoption via the same orphanage Kongslund - but one of them has a dark story unbeknownst to the child. Abortion was illegal in the 60s in Denmark so this tells the story of a lot unwanted children focusing on the seven children to find out one of the big secret.

Years after an elderly woman is found at the beach with no ID but among items placed at the body is an old photo of Kongslund - the hidden story slowly emerges after anonymous letter being sent to some of the now grown up children in hope of revealing the true story. Who knows the truth about what happened? Who is that 7th child as the name does not exist anywhere?

Something Usefull and Returning to a Challenge

The past year had it's up and downs, and looking at the first 27 days of 2014 it has been a bit of a bumper ride already draining me from energy. Need to turn the clock back to mid December, where I saw a collection add from the Danish chapter of Red Cross that led to a decision, that I pursued some weeks ago.

Back in December I supported the Give-A-Heart (Giv et hjerte) campaign, with a text message (SMS) donating 50 DKK (little less than 10$) collected for a Christmas box to Danish families in need for help to afford just a little extra for Christmas. It was also supported by the pattern of a ...... weaved heart... with the Red Cross logo.

Already back then I saw the opportunity to pursue my own personal challenge of weaving 366 hearts - my goal of doing it in 366 days is much overdo, but I need to do it for me. So here you have it, the first heart of almost 50 more to come, and a few more also await publishing on my weaved heart blog that will get back into action again.

2013 was much about the Sailing Sclerosis project, but I also need to focus on other things in case I do not get a spot on the boat. The Red Cross heart has also lead to another thing: A couple of weeks ago I was at a introducion meeting for future/possible volunteers. If I get accepted to the support group, that I want to join it actually involves some crafty thing, that I am sort of already doing.... and I have previous supported various caused doing a little crafty work, so why not go further. If I get accepted I will reveal later how I am supporting the Red Cross.