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<br />THE COMMUNITY IS TELLING A STORY <br /> <br /> <br />For years I sought for a way to help people understand at an integrative, or organic level, the <br />value of the collective statements, and all of the activities that lead up to it. It was the story <br />telling approach of an Indian elder that helped me to see how to do this. <br /> <br />Everyone Is Telling a Story <br />: I ask 6 to 8 people who are seated together in the circle to stand <br />and move one step into the circle. I walk out into the center of the circle and act as the director <br />of this story. <br /> <br />“I have learned, over time, that every conflict has a community of interest, that it brings <br />together those who are influenced or impacted by the decision. I am asking these people <br />to represent a community of interest. <br /> <br />Another thing I learned is that each community that is brought together around a conflict <br />has a community story to tell, but the individual members do not understand that. They <br />they have the entire story in themselves, <br />each come to the gathering believing that and <br />they are there to convince the others of the “truth” of what they know. <br /> <br />To demonstrate this, I am going to ask this group to tell a story. They are going to do <br />this like we did when we were in kindergarten, and the teacher asked us to each tell a <br />part of the story. We begin with Rob, who will repeat the first sentence that I give him. <br />This is the beginning of the story. Then, Kathy will add her sentence to the story, <br />followed by Laura adding a sentence, and so on, until Crista, the last person in the line, <br />will create an ending for the story. <br /> <br />“A porcupine walked into the meadow.” <br />I state for Rob the first sentence for the story: <br /> <br />Rob: A porcupine walked into the meadow.” <br /> <br />Kathy: (Thinking first) It was a warm and sunny day.” <br /> <br />Laura: “He saw another animal in the meadow.” <br /> <br />Jon: “It was a bear, an angry bear just waking up from a winter nap.” <br /> <br />Debbie: The bear growled at the porcupine when he approached.” <br /> <br />Dawn: “This frightened the porcupine, so he climbed a tree to get away from the bear. <br /> <br />Crista: There he met a female porcupine who became his mate for life.” <br /> <br /> <br /> 31 <br />