Story Therapy

Inflation is a beast that devours everything in its path, and the only way to defeat it is to deprive it of its food.           Story By: S A Spencer Photo by  Andre Tan   “You are actually helping the economy.”           Our lunch hour in the office is a time to unwind and recharge for the rest of the day. Lunchtime in the small office sees nearly everyone gathering in the dining room to unpack their lunch boxes. Most of us choose to buy food from other places instead of cooking at home.           I open my lunch box of pasta: the leftover of last evening.           Before I even took the first spoonful, I asked Joseph, “I don’t get it - how does eating this leftover food help the economy? Are the hungry people in a third world country benefiting from what I eat or how I eat? I am not even donating any food.”           A laugh erupted in the room. We’ve got an hour to chill out and recharge before the next shift.           I’m referring to the economy of this nation, not som

Change is the only constant in this world, and the path to heaven after death is not an exception. Story By: S A Spencer Photo by  Mohamed Nohassi You won’t know whether to laugh or cry after reading this story.           At our regular coffee catch up last weekend, Sam leaned in and whispered, “I have something to confide in you. I trust you won’t breathe a word of this to anyone.”           She didn’t appear to be hiding anything, but rather looked like she was in a rush to spill something out. She was away for a week to visit his sick father in Solomon. Her dad had a huge heart attack and when the ambulance took him to the hospital, the doctors declared him dead. Within an hour, they managed to revive him as he began to show signs of life.           “Doctors were not actually wrong.” Sam had told me when I called her to enquire about her dad. “The head of the cardiology was working for long in Melbourne before moving back to his native place to serve their own people. But the

Despite being scheduled for euthanasia, Bella, the abandoned dog, expresses gratitude to the shelter attendant whom she thought was named God , catching the attention of the divine God above.  Story By: S A Spencer Photo by  fatty corgi Bella had a hunch that something was wrong and couldn’t shake it. Each time Ben and Jenny travelled, they dropped her in the dog hostel owned by Ben’s friend and on the same street where he lived. The couple walked her through the dog hostel every day, where she spent many nights throughout the year, as her owners, Ben and Jenny, travelled frequently.           Bella loved the hostel owner, Mic, during her temporary stays.           She didn’t understand why this time they brought her to a much bigger hostel, long away from their home. The place was so unfamiliar to her. Using doggy language, she tried to convey her request to her owner, but the couple was too occupied to listen.           The moment came for Ben and Jenny to say goodbye. Jenny kn

A chance encounter with a little boy and the swans in the picturesque lake changes everything. Can Leena balance her professional aspirations with her desire for a family as she navigates the complexities of her life? Story By: S A Spencer Photo by Drazen Nesic, pixnio.com “That boy is weeping.” Michael whispers to me as we walk around the edge of the Woodcroft Lake.          “We need to pick up the pace,” I say, urging him to keep up. “We have to run a kilometre in less than seven minutes if we want to be ready for the City to Surf marathon.”          As we walk, he paces beside me, his eyes fixed on that boy. It feels like yesterday when we bought our brand new house in this part of Sydney, and now it’s almost eight years. Our love for this lake and the lush greenery that surrounds it is unending, and we can’t imagine ever tiring of their beauty.          We pace and walk through the pine trees just before the tennis court. Michael turns his head while still walking. “Leena, l

The fabricated case that led to his life imprisonment could only be overturned by the power of his positive thoughts. Story: S A Spencer Photo by  Wil Stewart   As the day began, there was an undeniable sense of excitement in the air. Tiffany slipped into her beautiful dress and gazed at herself in the full-length dresser mirror. Her heart raced as she thought about finally being reunited with her sweetheart after four years of separation. A separation neither she nor Jerry planned. Her heart jumped inside her ribs. How would Jerry be after four years of unfair imprisonment in a prison of Pacific Island nation Sambora? Should she look happy or dejected? This dress was Jerry’s favourite. Tiffany hoped that the memories of their love would remain intact in Jerry’s mind, despite the years of torture he endured. “Where are we going Mum?” Ava asked when Tiffany pulled out a matching dress from the robe for her four and half year-old daughter. This morning, only a woman from the Depa