There were feathers everywhere. It was the third Monday of the month and I was Zooming my Storytelling for All Ages program. I had chosen to share “Feathers,” a Jewish folk tale. There was once a woman who liked to talk, and she didn’t always pay strict attention to what was true. Her unkind words damaged the reputation and hurt the feelings of another woman in that village. This woman went to the rabbi for help. The rabbi summoned the gossiping woman. She apologized and said she would take back her words. The rabbi knew that this woman did not understand that the damage caused by her thoughtless words could not be undone. So, the rabbi gave her a feather pillow and told her to scatter the feathers in the marketplace.
When I reached this point in the story, I held up a small fabric envelope and pulled out feathers and threw them into the air. I gave a little puff to help them fly. Fluffy feathers flew everywhere, settling on me, my computer, the floor.
The message of the story, of course, was revealed when the woman realized that once words are spoken they can’t be unspoken.
After all the stories had been told, I waved good-bye to my listeners and reminded them to speak kind words. I ended the Zoom session .As I began to put my storytelling props away, I gathered up my feathers. I thought I had them all, but It kept finding another one and then another one. Storytelling was over, but the message of feathers lingered on with each feather I found.
The story of “Feathers” resonates with me. The words I speak matter. Thoughtless words cannot be unspoken. They can cut and hurt. Words spoken in anger are the ones that pierce deep into the heart of another and remain even after the apology is spoken and accepted.
My words do matter. I concentrate on not saying the words that will hurt. I concentrate on giving the deserved compliment, the thank you, the kind words. When these words are spoken there is an unspoken message: You are important. You matter to me.
Links to my storytelling programs can be found on my website: www.RosetheStorylady.net