The quote from Alice Walker's "By The Light Of My Father's Smile" highlights the difference between stories and ideas. Ideas are depicted as rigid and fixed, like blocks, while stories are described as flexible and transparent, allowing for deeper engagement with the imagination. This distinction emphasizes the dynamic nature of storytelling, which invites exploration beyond what is immediately visible.

Walker suggests that stories serve as a conduit for the spirit, allowing individuals to stretch their imaginations and connect with broader possibilities. In this way, stories are not just narratives; they are essential to our personal and creative growth, providing an avenue for reflection and exploration that ideas alone cannot achieve.