It was a breezy Sunday afternoon, and the clouds which turned one shade darker, soon beckoned showers to the city. The rains brought a sense of relief to Kochiites from the sweltering heat and also invited a handful of raconteurs to come together.

They shared their experiences at the event titled ‘Stories Worth Sharing’, held at Fort Kochi.

And they weren’t just mundane incidents but stories or incidents that changed their lives.
Around 20 people took part in the event, and all were visibly excited. They came from various backgrounds and were exposed to different experiences, but each narration struck a chord with the group. As each participant walked down memory lane, the rest realised that life’s greatest moments happen during the smallest of experiences.

From endearing stories of a grandfather repairing an umbrella to how someone got his quirky and secular name, a lot of interesting and inspiring tales were told.

It was two youngsters Mohit Munjal and Himanshu Poswal from Delhi who kicked off the concept, while they were on a trip, at Hampi. Saroj Anilkumar, associate partner of ‘Stories Worth Sharing’, came on board when one of their events was conducted at Thiruvananthapuram.

Impressed by the impact the stories had on people, she decided to introduce the event in Kochi. “The ones who joined us in the Kochi event were very enthusiastic. The fact that these stories came from ordinary people made it all the more interesting. This network of storytelling is kept alive through social media groups, following which it will be taken further, through the rest of the members.“

Johann Kuruvilla, a social media influencer, talks to us about the story he narrated. “It was the film Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi that instilled in me a desire to try out something as adventurous as the trip the protagonists of the film undertook. What started as a plan for a friends’ trip to the North East later paved the way for a solo journey, where I explored myself.” It gave him more clarity on how to go about his life, eventually prompting him to quit his job and become a travel blogger.

Another story was from Rittu Jacob, who once went on a cycle ride with friends. During the 200 km ride, they met with an accident. “Some of my friends were badly injured, but that did not deter us. After ensuring that they were hospitalised, we took our cycles and continued the ride. Completing the ride gave us so much confidence that now we are planning to start a company which will promote cycling as a way of life.”

Arun Nair, who is heading a corporate training academy, says that the session was a great ice-breaker for all, as it helps people to socialise. “Everyone is able to relate to the stories, as somebody else might have gone through a similar experience. I talked about how to outsmart the brain when life throws a hundred reasons to not pursue an action.”

He concludes, “People who walked in as strangers returned as friends, as people feel a sense of empathy on listening to others’ stories. That is the power of storytelling. It is not about the extraordinary things in life, sometimes, it is the silly incidents in life that teach us the greatest lessons.”

source:  http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Kochi News / by Deepika Jayaram / March 23rd, 2018