Stories do not teach in the same way as a moralistic sermon or droning lecture. The way they teach is more subtle and more effective, revealing vividly the tensions and passions and laments that always exist outside the confines of rigid rules of behavior. Storytelling at its best illuminates how people think and feel in ways that do not fade or erode, that remain relevant and meaningful. This month’s essay focuses on how storytelling teaches, and our poem and story this month demonstrate how storytelling uses hyper-specific situations to viscerally portray widely relevant emotional and psychological truths.