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November 20, 2008I keep lots of memories from the days when I was a young parent. Not only those high points, but those exasperating moments as well. One of them involves purchasing gifts for my children. Gifts for the holidays. Birthday gifts. Gifts rewarding good behavior. I would search high and low for something meaningful, something unique. Most of the time it was rough going. I quickly realized that a good gift is hard to find. A meaningful gift is even rarer. And whenever I succeeded in finding a gift that I regarded as special, I treasured it. And I anticipated that my children would do the same.
I am now a grandparent. And I am constantly seeking a unique gift children would treasure. Something that will last far beyond the moment of giving. A memorable story is that kind of gift. And it is appropriate for all ages, children included. Think of all the pleasurable hours an entire CD of stories can provide. Think of the glimpse it can give into cultures and customs from countries around the world.
You can find three CDs listed on the “Recordings” page of my website. Fables in Four Minutes is a collection of ten stories, each one representing a different storytelling genre. World Full of Stories has a dozen stories that will take the listeners on a trip around the world. Parking in Manhattan, my latest project, represents a compendium of hilarious urban folktales, all of them sounding as though they really happened! If you wish to make a purchase of one or more CDs, the directions on the “Recordings” page will assist you.
Hunting for a unique gift children will enjoy and appreciate? A unique gift children will never get tired of? A unique gift children can share with their parents and friends? A memorable gift is the gift of story. It is a unique gift children will cherish for the rest of their lives!
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One great gift I have found is a memorable story. And it is appropriate for all ages, children included. A CD full of stories will provide hours of pleasure. Imagine the trip around the world your progeny can take on the wings of a story!
You can find three CDs listed on the “Recordings” page of my website. Fables in Four Minutes contains ten wonderful stories from ten different storytelling genres.
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Whenever I heard the word I assumed it meant something good, something attractive. However, it was only when I found myself using the word in my description of my own stories that I needed to define it. Actually, I hit the books when a listener said my stories were nifty. The current Wiktionary defines the word as “good; a general term for anything that is good, useful or beneficial. ” A thesaurus gives synonyms such as “peachy, smashing, dandy, great, keen, and groovy,” all of which strike me as exchanging one jargon term for another!”
So how do I define nifty stories? The stories I choose to tell are, indeed, particularly good and rather effective at making a point, a lesson, a message, a bit of perspective.
Messages that made me who I am today.
Today I tell many of the stories I heard as a child. The stories are ageless. The messages of long ago still have merit in the world today.
Why seek out inspirational stories? First, consider the barrage of daily news and information.
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Many folktales were cautionary tales with lessons for avoiding catastrophe. Do not go into the deep, dark woods! Keep away from wild animals! Avoid strangers! Then again, many folktales tell of reward and happy endings. Good is eternally pitted against evil. The Golden Rule reigns supreme. No matter what the genre, a good world story brings meaning to the contemporary world as well.
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A meaningful gift is even harder to find. And whenever I succeeded in finding a gift that I regarded as special, I treasured it. And I hoped my children would do the same.
I am now a grandparent. And I am constantly seeking a unique gift children would treasure.
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They give us something to consider. Something that points us a bit closer to our “true north. ” Something that offers a little perspective to life.
Care for some inspiration? At http://www. jaystetzer.
All cultures regard certain notions as sacred. The demonic can also be found. Their stories regularly exhibit these notions. They make up the mythical soil out of which the stories grow. Myth forms the basis for many world stories.
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Enter laughter. Humor makes a hard message a bit easier to swallow. Priceless humor is filled with wit and wisdom. A unique combination.
As you know, laughter lightens the heart.
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“Service with a Smile” on my Parking in Manhattan CD offers the listener a great hidden lesson. Long after they are told, inspirational stories stay in the memory. I am even inspired by the inspirational stories I tell!
The world of today is a fast moving, complex world. We all need a bit of “inner” direction to guide us as we cruise down the highway of life. Inspirational stories can help us in our travels.
Stories have been told and retold for centuries throughout the world. How come? For one thing, they are entertaining. Another reason is that they deal with the human condition, one way or another. Even animal characters in stories act out the situations of our own humanity.
The struggles of life have been with us for centuries as well.
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The struggles of life have been with us for centuries as well. Wars. Famine. Thorny relationships. All of which beg for some direction, some assistance.
The Merriam/Webster Dictionary definition states: “very good, very attractive,” etymology unknown, originally used in 1865. The standard reference Compact Oxford Dictionary states: “particularly good, effective, or stylish. ”
What was my listener describing when he called my stories “nifty?” The stories I choose to tell are, indeed, particularly good and rather effective at making a point, a lesson, a message, a bit of perspective. To me, nifty stories are a blend of entertainment and education, or what some call “edutainment. ” There needs to be a message beyond a witty punch line.
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Actually, it was a listener who called my material “nifty stories,” and that comment sent me to the books. The Merriam/Webster Dictionary definition states: “very good, very attractive,” etymology unknown, originally used in 1865. The standard reference Compact Oxford Dictionary states: “particularly good, effective, or stylish. ”
What’s so nifty about nifty stories? The stories I choose to tell are, indeed, particularly good and rather effective at making a point, a lesson, a message, a bit of perspective. To me, nifty stories are a blend of entertainment and education, or what some call “edutainment.
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They make up the mythical soil out of which the stories grow. Many world stories derive from mythology. Creation stories form the majority of this category, along with other stories help explain the world.
By contrast, folk tales spawn from daily village life. Naturally, stories of the folk world are couched in rural settings.
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Take time to smell the flowers. Give back to your community. I am who I am because of those messages.
I find myself using stories I heard long ago when I perform today. The stories are ageless.
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Care for some inspiration? At http://www. jaystetzer. com you can find memorable inspirational stories. Go to the “Listen” page on the site and you will surely discover a number of stories with relevant messages. Two good examples of inspirational stories are “The Egg Seller” and “Herschel and the Wedding” from my CD World Full of Stories.
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Something that helps us to find our personal “true north. Something that offers a little perspective to life.
Care for some inspiration? You can find inspirational stories and more at http://www. jaystetzer. com.
Later still, it cropped up in conversations about more “cultural” experiences: nifty books, nifty poems, and nifty stories.
Whenever I heard the word I assumed it meant something good, something attractive. However, it was only when I found myself using the word in my description of my own stories that I needed to define it. Actually, I hit the books when a listener said my stories were nifty. The Merriam/Webster Dictionary definition states: “very good, very attractive,” etymology unknown, originally used in 1865.
I listen to lots of conversations. They are laden with disasters and catastrophes. The conversants generally cannot see the life lesson they offer. As a storyteller, my job is to sift through the data and sort out the meaning. Also, I need to inject a bit of humor to make the tale palatable.
I keep lots of memories from the days when I was a young parent. Not only those high points, but those exasperating moments as well. One of them involves purchasing gifts for my children. Gifts for the holidays. Birthday gifts.
I will remember this site.
Perhaps it gives a hint of direction. It might even state a moral. The name one might give to this ephemeral quality is not as important as the fact that the stories I tell actually possess it.
Even when I was growing up, I found myself deeply touched by inspirational stories. Both my mother and my grandfather told similar stories.
One of the great benefits of my travels around the world is the wellspring of world stories I have found in each country I have visited. I have also had the opportunity to learn a bit about each country. Rituals and customs. Daily habits and geography. So the world stories I hear have substantial meaning to me.
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The characters may act out the meaning of the story. Listeners are left to figure out the message for themselves. And there may be a different message for each listener. This kind of story is generally attractive to a wider audience. The subtler lessons tend to come from longer tales.
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Other world stories are filled with mystery. Many world stories are insightful. Often world stories are enigmatic. Generally world stories teach. All world stories entertain.
My travels have taken me to Southeast Asia, Central and South America, around the United States, Canada, and Europe. The differences as well as the similarities of the various countries impress me deeply.
You can find in every culture notions which they hold as sacred. You can also find things demonic. Their stories regularly exhibit these notions.
The stories are ageless. The messages of long ago still have merit in the world today.
Why seek out inspirational stories? For one thing, we experience a deluge of information and news on a daily basis. Next, we live lives that leave no room for reflection. In the absence of time and reflection, we have precious little available insight to bring to current affairs.
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Not only those high points, but those exasperating moments as well. One of them involves purchasing gifts for my children. Gifts for the holidays. Gifts for birthdays. Gifts rewarding good behavior.
The current Wiktionary defines the word as “good; a general term for anything that is good, useful or beneficial. ” A thesaurus gives synonyms such as “peachy, smashing, dandy, great, keen, and groovy,” all of which strike me as exchanging one jargon term for another!”
What makes nifty stories nifty? The stories I choose to tell are, indeed, particularly good and rather effective at making a point, a lesson, a message, a bit of perspective. To me, nifty stories are a blend of entertainment and education, or what some call “edutainment. ” I look for stories with certain underlying values that help the listener to set their internal compass when sailing through life.
Any story with a moral at the end sends the listener a clear message.