Portland Playback is truly blessed to have some very loyal fans who come every month to listen to others’ stories or–if we’re lucky–to tell some of their own. Jennifer Lunden, one such “regular,” has sat in the teller’s chair one more than one occasion but as soon as she sat down during our April “Before and After” performance you could tell she had a story she had been waiting to tell for a long time.

She told a touching and hopeful story about learning to live, and appreciate, life despite chronic illness. She touchingly recounts her struggles and Playback’s role in reconciling them in her blog.

Here’s a passage from her story …

“I approached the troupe clustered at the front of the room to thank them again. Emily said, reaching her arms around me, “I want to give you a hug.” Marsha thanked me for the story, and said that it opened up the audience beautifully. “We’re always glad to get a Lunden story.”

Again, I was amazed. I had been reluctant to raise my hand, thinking, “They must be saying, ‘Oh, enough already. Put your hand down and let somebody else tell for once.’” I always think they must be thinking that. That I must sit down and be quiet. That I am being greedy, taking up everybody’s time to tell my stories, when other people have stories, too. It is hard to believe, still, that people want to hear what I have to say.

And this time, I told my tenderest story. My story touched people, and their compassion was a blessing to me.”

Read the entire entry here.