“We read to know that we are not alone.”

This quote by screenwriter William Nicholson, hits at an important truth. Stories -- not just the ones we read, but the ones we watch on screens large and small -- help us to understand that as much as we might, in our darkest moments, believe that no one else in all of human history has ever experienced what we are going through, maybe we aren’t so different after all.

For a reader or a viewer, there can be tremendous solace to be found in knowing that there are others out there like you. Through these stories we discover a shared humanity that unites us through our lived experiences. We learn that others have thought similar thoughts, felt similar feelings, shared similar experiences. Others have endured hardship, felt heartbreak, experienced loss, and somehow survived.

We also learn empathy for those whose experiences are unlike our own. Stories also give us perspective: a way to view the world beyond the scope of our own limited experience. Stories give us exposure to people, places and events that we may not have yet encountered in the real world and an opportunity to visualize how........

© Townhall