Celebrating the art of mentoring
by sharing the gift of a story.
It is wonderful to once again be window-side and writing. While I am experiencing the peacefulness of the image before me, I am energized and awe struck by the view of this ever-changing and profound beauty. Today this deeply wooded forest is colorless and there is a glaring starkness reflecting the blanket of snow. Stillness in an eerie sort of way.
In reflection of this past week I was deeply inspired by a mentoring experience. “Mentoring From the Heart Through Storytelling” is what makes my blood flow within the spirit of my womanhood ~
Not only do I embrace the art of listening in mentoring but I feel that another core element in being an inspirational mentor is how we deliver our message in a way that can be heard.
When mentored, I was seldom offered the answers to anything. More importantly, my mentors provided me with their personal stories: it was from those heartfelt stories that I grew; I shaped their stories to fit my own life experiences, to fit my own style and fit to my own attitude.
For me, the imagery of mentoring is like a enormous circle of life where passing on our knowledge and experiences are endless. Mentoring and story telling is as old as humankind.
My most positive and powerful experiences come from mentoring young women. It has been so inspirational to witness the many women that have paid this experience forward.
I believe that in working with one woman, a mentor is potentially affecting the lives of so many others – where each generation passes on their life stories to the following generations.
There is just no greater gift than sharing one’s life experience and knowledge to lift up another and giving them a voice - a voice that is listened too and respected.
It is my pleasure to share the following mentoring story that my daughter wrote for her 12 sisters who live across the world in Rwanda.
