WordPlay Café

by Cathy Shappell | March 7, 2018

WordPlay Café has made me realize that everyone has a story to tell. After attending a few WordPlay Café events at The Nile, I don’t look at people the same anymore; often pondering what story they would share if they could. I have listened to storytellers voice such intimate and amazing tales that make me question my intentions, my drive and my own secrets. What I assume to be an average middle aged woman going about her business, I discover through the spoken word, is plagued with stress and confusion as she searches for a second career. I recently listened to an unassumingly average young man share his heart about the sexual abuse he endured as a child and the efforts he is making today to relieve other victims’ pain.

I generally define people based on the physical clues that I observe; but how often I am wrong. The experiences in our past don’t always define who we are. The scars, both physically and metaphorically, cannot always be seen. My first attendance to WordPlay Café was on a whim and it was not my intention to become a regular. However, now I find listening to others and occasionally sharing my own story, has become almost therapeutic. In this environment, we listen and encourage one another, without judgement or disgrace but with open hearts and open minds.

Loving this post? Don't miss Cathy at WordPlay Cafe: Story Slam March 23