I’m rewriting my story for the storytelling event that’s less than a week away.

At the first practice my original story was a hit – but it’s too long for the required time and structure of a good storytelling story.

At the second practice it was decided that I actually had two stories there and needed to pick one – either the exciting story of packing up and running away, or the reasons behind why I ran away -not both. It was decided that the reason I ran was a better fit.

But it’s so hard to tell one without the other.

Every one of us has a story.

Our lives are a puzzle – made of so many different, odd shaped pieces.

Those weird ones with the sharp angles, dark red or deep blue, that look more like someone else’s bad dream than a piece of your puzzle.

Those pieces don’t look like they’ll fit, but without them, it doesn’t work.

No matter how hard you try to squeeze in a bright turquoise or shiny yellow one in their place, the dark ones are needed to complete the puzzle.

Your puzzle. Your story. Your life.

Embrace all the colors and tell your story. Let the dark pieces fit without fighting them. Put them where they go, as a background to the bright ones so they can shine.

And maybe, just maybe, you’ll help someone else do the same.