Stories are powerful.

This is a cartoon by a great guy Graham Ogilvie whom I have had the pleasure of working with on a number of occasions. A lot of the work I do involves stories and many cultures value stories. They have the advantage too of being accessible to everyone.
Someone also pointed out to me that no-one can argue with your story because it's your story. So unlike a debate, where people put over different points of view and people feel obliged or enjoy taking an opposite stand, with a story -its your story and you relate it and people cannot take it away from you. Stories are indeed powerful.

Another good colleague of mine Patricia Boyle also explained to me that " stories are to dialogue as facts are to science" So science deals in facts and dialogue is about dealing in stories and truly listening to what other people say and valuing them and the story. Its a very different way of engaging with people and aids understanding.

So tell me a story.... Stories with a wee picture as even more powerful.

So when we imagine Scotland we tell a story and paint or draw a picture either in reality or in other people 's minds. Enjoy story telling and drawing a picture.