Jemima Longcake

‘The stories we tell are how we live our lives’ is a quote my mother taught me. This powerful lesson is relevant now more than ever as we live amidst a global pandemic. The stories we tell after this pandemic will shape the future we build- and the bricks we will use to build with, lie within our languages.

The power of stories has been debated and studied throughout history. Our mindset is shaped by the narratives we hear, and the narratives we tell. These stories are the creative products of our language; we need to draw on our language, and our linguistic heritage in order to keep telling them. However, it’s not just as simple as that. We are bombarded with narratives of all kinds. Understanding the power of language in the creation of these stories empowers us to comb through the layers of information and find the stories that resonate most with us. Even more importantly, it empowers us to create new ones, and doing so, create the future we desire.