08/07/2025
✦ Storytellers in the Wings ✦ by Pek Ya P**n
A haibun + haiku reflection
(Written by me, not by AI! But polished with a bit of AI clarity—like espresso for sentences.)
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Storytelling is the incognito profession—not just for marketers or preachers, but for parents too.
Moms and dads spin tales to comfort their children—about tooth fairies, about winning, about who they might become. Sometimes these stories are told to encourage their children… and sometimes to reassure themselves.
As a coach working with children who learn and move differently, I’ve seen how much these stories matter. They carry love, yes—but also expectations, fears, and sometimes, a quiet denial.
I hear lines like:
“He just wants to cruise. He’s unmotivated, but he has so much potential if he’d just apply himself.”
Or:
“He’s afraid to fail, so he doesn’t try. He just needs smaller steps.”
Both versions come from love. But sometimes, they blur where the child really is. The starting point is far from the imagined path.
I’ve watched it unfold from many angles.
—
Stalls and circle seats
In the heart, the play unfolds
Differently each time
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