According to gifted storyteller Brian Conroy, “Before I ever told a story, I internalized the elements that made a good story” by absorbing vibrant family rhythms and cadences, the music, the laughter. Stories about his father brought him to life though he died when Brian was only four months old. He felt his father’s spirit, was taught to kneel and pray, listening for the unseen. Later, Brian connected with Buddhist masters orienting toward compassion, wisdom, and service. Whether teaching youngsters in school or refreshed Buddhist teachings for the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association, Brian tells stories that are universal, focused on principle and virtue, that reflect our everyday lives. A story brings us together, “so that for a few minutes we all live inside the same story, in the kind of world we wish to see.” The story unfolds in the listener’s mind. Does it change the world? Brian says, “In the grand scheme of things, storytelling isn't much. But it's one small way I can help build bridges. Whatever you have, in your own small way, that's enough.”
