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All humans are defined by our stories. We make sense of our histories, interpret our present, and imagine our futures by weaving stories like threads through time to create cohesive narratives about who we are, what we believe, and to whom we belong. For chaplains entering into encounters with those we serve, inviting careseekers to share their experiences through storytelling is a powerful strategy for meaning-making, self-reflection, and connection both within the chaplaincy relationship and beyond.  

Whether we meet careseekers in the middle of day or the middle of the night, chaplains always encounter those we serve in the middle of the series of stories that makes up the narrative of their lives. We almost never have a full view of the narratives that have led to this moment, and we will rarely witness the unfolding of the story after our encounter ends – we only have the present chapter that is the here and now, being written before us. 

How we elicit, invite, listen to, hear, understand, reflect back, affirm, enter into and engage the stories we encounter as they are narrated to us by those we serve is at the core of our work as chaplains. Think about the careseekers you provide care for: How do you engage their stories? Are you seeking to learn information, find meaning, assess behavior, connect with events, understand an idea, or simply ride in the sidecar while they drive? Are there stories that you may be unprepared for or reluctant to engage? 

Careseekers' identities are defined by their stories. They perceive historical and current events in their lives by connecting the past to the present through storytelling. When careseekers share their experiences, they give meaning, perspective and shape to their narratives, making it possible for us to have an encounter. We meet careseekers in the middle of day or the middle of the night, in the middle of a life of stories. We do not have the first 10 chapters, nor will we have the final 10 chapters. We only have the present chapter that is the here and now before us. How we listen, hear, understand, consume, reflect, and engage a narrative is at the core of our work as chaplains. Think about the careseekers you provide care for. How do you engage their stories? Are you seeking to learn information, find meaning, assess behavior, connect with events, understand an idea or simply ride in the sidecar while they drive?  Are there stories that you may be unprepared for or reluctant to engage in?