Each of Us Has a Story

As I sit down with my coffee to reflect on what the last few months have brought, I remember something I read not too long ago written by a handful of exceptional writers.

These writers were tasked with telling a story about their experiences in the time of Covid- not reflecting on what they learned after the fact, but telling the story while they are in it. A snap shot of things not finished but very raw.

What I'm talking about is a project by the New York Times called "The Decameron Project" . It is inspired by the 14th Century writings of Giovanni Boccaccio during the Black Death. His book, entitled The Decameron, is a collection of stories processing the fear and grief caused by the plague.

The goal of the modern day Decameron Project is to help us process our own pain and grief as we experience it.

It occurred to me as I read these stories, that we are all participating in this project in our own way-- even if we're not writing formal stories. Everything we do will go into the history books to be told to many generations to come. It can get heavy and serious-- no one wants to live through history-- but it can also be an opportunity to create beauty.

The Decameron Project displays stories that are hopeful, sad, sobering, interesting and thought provoking. There are a variety of subjects and emotions-- just as there are a variety of ways that everyone I know is dealing with this pandemic. The stories in this collection, and the stories I hear from friends, are all a window into how each person copes, the interactions they have with each other or the experiences they have in the world. Some of them really put my thoughts or feelings into words. Some of them have really helped me to process my own grief and loss and joy and confusion.

Eventually, we'll be at the end of this piece of history. Memories will fade and things will get blurry. While you're going through this, make sure to share your stories somehow-- because you never know! They might be helpful to someone else right now.