Note: This article is best experienced in rich audio.
You can hear this on substack, or by looking up ‘Story Paths’ on your favourite podcast player.
Below you’ll find an introduction, and the story prompts from this issue, so you can easily refer to them.
Welcome to the Story Paths newsletter and podcast. This is a Storyteller’s diary edition.
As I tell the tale of this one life, may it help you to tell your tales.
In part one, I spoke about how I met an old friend of my father's after twenty years, and how we began to throw ropes across the river of time that separated us.
We gradually made our way toward a meeting in the middle of that river, in part to continue this recollection, in which I confessed to him the reasons why I cut my ties with him, and the other men who supported me, all those years ago.
In we go.
Photos: Mr. Wayne Powell in his habitat in Drumheller
Prompts
(Take one, none, many or all. I suggest you write a response, or speak it aloud, or discuss them with a friend, or just think about them)
-Imagine a character who, after years of estrangement, receives an unexpected letter from someone they distanced themselves from long ago. This letter reveals truths about the past that had been buried for decades. Write about the emotional journey of reconnecting with this person, uncovering the life lessons hidden in their shared history, and the impact this reconnection has on the character's present life.
-Your protagonist discovers an old journal or a collection of letters from a deceased family member, shedding light on a pivotal moment in their past that was misunderstood or misinterpreted. Explore how this revelation prompts the protagonist to seek out someone from their past they haven't spoken to in years. Write about the conversation, the wisdom gained from these interactions, and the resolution or closure it brings to long-standing questions.
-Your protagonist, an entrepreneur, experienced a failed venture years ago that led to a disconnect from former colleagues, mentors, or partners. Unexpectedly, circumstances arise that force them to collaborate or reconnect with these individuals. Write about the emotional and professional journey of reengaging with the past, extracting valuable lessons from those failed endeavors, and how these connections contribute to the protagonist's newfound success or altered business direction. Explore the transformation and growth stemming from this reconnection and its impact on the protagonist's entrepreneurial spirit.
I'd love it if you share your thoughts in the comments.
Until next time.
Storyteller's Diary: An Old Friend, Part 2, Reckoning with the Past