As I read these stories, I feel like they're not just about specific groups of people.

They
actually tell us something about all of us. Take Gina's story about being a mom, for example. It's not
just about her – it shows how our identities are connected to our roles in our families. The symbols
and experiences she talks about aren't just personal; they're also part of a bigger cultural picture.
This makes me wonder if similar things happen in different cultures, and how the story of being a
mom shapes our collective identities.

Looking at the young Croatians dealing with the aftermath of Yugoslavia, it's like seeing how history
really affects how a country sees itself. Going from a Yugoslav regime to an authoritarian Croatian
state and then to a new democracy is a big deal. The fact that they rely on family, school, and media
to understand Yugoslavia makes me think about how our families and the stories we hear shape the
way we see ourselves in society. It makes me wonder about the stories nations pass down and how
they shape our views. The second text talks about how our individual stories are connected to the
bigger picture of society. It's like saying our personal stories mix with others to create a bigger
narrative. This idea of using narratives from literature, history, and other sources to build our own
identities is interesting. It makes me think about how the stories we hear influence how we see
ourselves. Are we the ones in control of our stories, using history and culture to shape who we are?

Thinking about Benjamin Wilkomirski's story makes me wonder how stories affect who we are. Do
stories have to be completely true to shape our identities? And how do our personal experiences
connect with the stories we tell others?

So, let's break it down. How true does a story need to be to matter in our lives? Our personal
experiences, the things we go through, really shape who we are. But the stories we tell others also
play a big role. They help us connect our personal experiences with what everyone else goes
through. The line between our personal truth and the stories we share can get blurry. Wilkomirski's
story reminds us that when stories don't match real experiences, they can mess with how we see the
world. It's like a warning to be careful about the stories we believe and share. We need to think
about whether a story is true and if it's right to share it.

This caution also tells us that sharing stories comes with a responsibility. When we tell our stories or
listen to others, we're adding to the big story that shapes how everyone sees things. It's a reminder
to be honest in our stories and think about how they might affect others.

So, thinking about not getting too caught up in others' suffering leads us to consider how stories,
whether they're true or not, impact who we are and how we all understand the world. It's like a little
journey into thinking about what's real, what we go through personally, and how the stories we tell
connect us all.

Basically, these stories make me think about how all of us, no matter where we're from, are
connected through the stories we tell. They show that our identities are shaped by the stories we
hear and share, and it's a dynamic process that keeps evolving.

Michał Nycz