Mining Stories from Rocks

I want to share some real life stories from a couple of the women in the LIGHTbeamers Community — which is our private group on FB.

Every week, I post a picture that is aimed to prompt them to tell their own story. You let the image spark ideas and creativity, mining a story the picture seems to tell.

Yesterday, I used this picture of a stack of rocks — the biggest of the rocks on the bottom and subsequent smaller rocks stacked on top, getting smaller as the pyramid went up. Each rock seemed to be perfectly balanced on the other — but delicately. The slightest shift of weight could make the whole ensemble come tumbling down.

One of the women in the Community shared these words — which blew me away:

In 2008 I hit rock bottom. I was mess physically, mentally, and emotionally. I wasn't sleeping, eating, my hair was falling out, I was having panic attacks, I was suicidal, and wetting the bed due to fear of him. I was living each day on eggshells. I was waiting for the moment where my then partner would finally kill me. I slept with a knife under our bed in case I needed to defend myself. I reached the point where I couldn't do it anymore and pretty soon it was going to be him or me. On some level, I wished he would put me out of the misery he created for me. I experienced every level of abuse one could go through. It weighed heavily on my spirit of what I was putting my children through by staying. What kind of life was this for them? By November 2008 I knew we had to leave. After what seemed long waiting period at the beginning of 2009 we were finally able to leave and never look back. It has taken me over nine years to finally feel like "Me" again. To not jump at every sound. To not have a nightlight on at night. To stop bedwetting. To live a "normal" life. These stones represent the building of my spirit one by one.

Isn’t that an incredible recount of survival and transformation?

This practice of using imagery and pictures to spark stories can be so powerful. You never know what story will bubble up to the surface.

Here’s a different story from another woman, using the same picture as a prompt:

I feel like I’m that big giant rock at the bottom of the image most days and those smaller rocks piled up on me are the things that I’m doing, my responsibilities, my activities .... cooking, cleaning, driving kids around, listening to others, job for money etc... and that tiny Little Rock at the very top is the thing I want to do most. In many ways it’s the rock which means the most to me. But it’s the smallest right now because I can’t see it from way down low where I am. And other responsibilities come first. But one day.... one day that Little Rock will become my big rock.

A completely different interpretation — a completely different story.

Two women, two different stories, one image that sparked the words and ideas.

What story does this image spark for you?

If you want a place to share your own words — join us in the LIGHTbeamers Community on Facebook. We’d love to get to know you better and learn about your story!