Stories as a way in the South….
People tell you what they really believe through telling stories down here in Texas. All sorts and colors of stories. They’ll tell you their religious and political beliefs implied. Not directly. And you test one another through tales as well. Just met an old timer who told me old Spanish stories when Texas was still deciding who it was, or rather who to ally with in being itself.

Great stories, little fables and parables—that’s how people are here. I like the ways of the South despite her long shadows. There isn’t a day goes by, that i don’t hear a story here. I appreciate that.

Heard one today about a man’s grandma who used mascara on her legs because in that day, you couldn’t afford stockings or hose. And carried that mentality into his generation—rationing, being careful with resources, and thinking about the next generation. Good values.

Plus, this little place welcomes all sorts of people, but to really get to know each other, you will need to tell a good story. Then, you have a place at the table forever.

Plus, stories last forever if they are good.

So why do stories still matter:

Story telling is a way of carrying truth in the south, and many other parts of the world. Stories hold things like dreams do, in symbol.

All the parables are contained in a good story down here. I myself was the only one to return to Texas in my family. The myth of Texas has many aspects of the truth in it. The sky really is bigger than anywhere I’ve lived, which is nearly everywhere. So possibility resides here.

Appreciating Texas and Austin’s ways today. Friendly creative and story telling. Like where I grew up but more global in its thinking. What starts here, changes the world. But almost always it starts in story.

We tell stories to get to know one another. We don’t make points, we tell tales.

If you look at the two ways of knowing as Greek or Hebrew. A way of abstracting principles versus telling or embedding things in concrete symbols as also native Americans and indigenous peoples tend towards, then texas’ epistemology certainly leans towards the later. We know through symbolic story.

I appreciate that about it. Makes you have to become a good story interpreter to get at the heart of things. I like that practice.

I love considering different cultural and regional ways of knowing and expressing what you know thus far. Story is certainty the container of knowledge down here. Each place has its gifts! And there is always this implied-you can go to the moon-mentality just in the background. Nice combo.

Plus, I learned today from an old couple, that the crawfish are coming out early this year. They teach the weather patterns round here. Nice.

A little Porch Pub wisdom your way today!