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“Humans are not ideally set up to understand logic; they are ideally set up to understand stories.” ~ Roger C. Schank, Cognitive Scientist

“Love is a gift. It’s a gift of oneself given freely. It’s not something one can ever ask for.” ~ Alithea Binnie, Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022)

Last night, as I write this, I watched a movie I’d had on my TBW list for a long time. It’s, Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022) starring Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba. It’s a magical story about a scholar of story and mythology who, while at a conference in Istanbul, buys a lovely glass bottle for her collection and while cleaning it, unexpectedly releases a Djinn. She is skeptical about granting the Djiin his wish to be released from ever being trapped again, by asking for three wishes of her own. And so the intellectual debate begins. Asking for three wishes always ends in tragedy, Alithea states. But she’s curious how the Djinn got trapped in the bottle in the first place. So he tells her three stories of being trapped in three different bottles over three thousand years. And as he weaves his stories and she asks more questions, eventually she falls in love with him and he with her. You’ll have to watch the movie to see what happens to them.

Watching this particular story made me realize how stories connect us in a way I’ve never been able to articulate before. They are a way to walk in someone else’s shoes, to understand the world from their point of view. Sometimes we learn important lessons about our own lives as we listen to someone else’s story. For some reason I remembered a woman I met while in Thessalonliki, Greece while on our trip around the world in 1996. 

I’m sad to say I don’t remember this woman’s name. She lived in Thessaloniki with her husband who was studying to be an Orthodox Christian priest. This couple were friends with a theatre friend of mine in Portland. He connected us so we wouldn’t be completely alone while in Greece. 

In the Orthodox Church, a man who is already married when he begins his training, is allowed to remain so. He was happy in his chosen profession, but one day when his wife and I were alone, she told me how distressed she was. As I remember it, her dilemma was two fold, she wasn’t sure she wanted children, which her priest was urging her to do as her duty to God and the church, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to be a priest’s wife. Or maybe she didn’t know how to be a priest’s wife. In any case, she was suffering because she didn’t have anyone to talk to about her feelings. She was told that her husband’s ambition should be her ambition. 

I could relate to her story because at the time, Barry and I were trying to decide whether or not to have children of our own. We were lucky. We didn’t have anyone pressuring us into becoming parents. So when she told me her story, I was furious with her priest. Of course, I couldn’t show that to her. But I kept thinking, “What nerve, to not only tell a woman that God wants her to have a baby she might not want, but to go so far as to coerce her into it by telling her it would reflect badly on her husband.” Her feelings, hopes, and dreams were completely irrelevant. I don’t know anything about her relationship with her husband. They seemed happy, but that may have been for show for us as their guests. I’m not sure I helped her much. All I could do was listen. I’ve thought about her often over the years and wonder what happened to her. When I think of her, I send a prayer of blessing and hope she was able to work things out for herself and find happiness.

Another thing the movie did for me was to solidify my commitment to sharing stories in all different forms. Because when we listen to others and share our own stories we connect on an emotional level. Our differences fade away and we’re just human beings caring for each other and that’s of supreme importance.

One final thought, I’m not sure I can articulate this very well, but when I read or watch a story, my emotions are engaged. The best stories change my feelings about myself and what it means to be a human being. I like being challenged to examine my viewpoint about the world, though I realize self-examination is scary for some people. Maybe even connecting with people who don’t think like you do is scary as well. One thing I do know, Being completely alone is not good. it’s better to have connections with people you can rely on, because we all need support at one time or another. 

Thank you so much for reading. Happy Autumnal or Spring Equinox. The changing seasons always feel like new beginnings for me. Share, leave a comment, or like. I appreciate you so much.

Blessings,

Lucinda Sage-Midgorden © 2024

The Space Between Time

Lucinda is the author of The Space Between Time, an award finalist in the “Fiction: Fantasy” category of the 2017 Best Book Awards. It’s now available on the Hoopla App linked to your local library.

Have you ever experienced life shattering events? Yeah, after the last few years, most of us have. In The Space Between Time, Jenna Holden gets slammed by her fiancé walking out, her mother’s untimely death, and losing her job all in one week. But she receives unexpected help when she finds her three-times great-grandmother’s journals and begins the adventure of a lifetime.

The Space Between Time is available in all ebook formats at Smashwords and for Kindle at Amazon, or you can find the ebook at iBooks or Barnes and Noble. If you prefer a physical copy, you can find a print-on-demand version at Amazon. Stay tuned for news when the audiobook version and sequel are published.

Lucinda is also the host of Story-Power a podcast where she and her guests discuss their creative endeavors, and/or the stories that have changed their lives. It’s available here on Sage Woman Chronicles and on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and YouTube podcast apps. Please rate and leave a review. It helps people find me.

Rita Gau’s review: Recently, I finished reading a book titled, The Space Between Time, by my friend, Lucinda Sage-Midgorden. It was the best book I’ve read in a long time. It kept me captivated, which I have not experienced from any other book for the past couple of years. I loved all the little gems of meaningful and what I call spiritual statements throughout the book. You know, those words that make you pause and think, and sometimes have an “aha” from or a deeper awareness about something. And it was entertaining and informational about some of the history in the 1800’s and yet, contemporary. It also reminded me of the importance of “living in community” and how important it is to help one another and be engaged in your community. Thank you Lucinda for a wonderful, entertaining and captivating book!

Story-Power on Patreon and Apple Subscriptions 

I’m so passionate about stories that I created the Story-Power podcast, Patreon Community, and Apple subscription so I’d have an excuse to talk story with other story lovers. Patreon is $5 a month for content not found on the Story-Power podcast, or on my Sage Woman Blog. They have recently instituted a free tier so you can try it out before you buy. Apple subscription is $3 a month, again with content not found on the Story-Power podcast. If you’re passionate about stories, and want to talk about what you’ve learned from your favorites, come join me at patreon.com/StoryPower. Or, you can add the subscription on Apple podcast where Story-Power is published. Let’s share what we’ve learned from the stories we love.

PodMatch for Podcasters

If you are a podcaster, or have a message or fantastic product you want to share with the world, I encourage you to check out PodMatch. I call them a dating service for podcasters. Use the affiliate link and tell them, Lucinda sent you. Then contact me so we can set up a Story-Power chat.