A large part of story gardening is emotional. Many people begin with doubt. Children worry that their drawing is not good enough. Adults fear that their accent, handwriting or grammar will be judged. Elders may be unsure if their memories are worth anyone’s time. Story Gardeners respond not with flattery but with attention. They listen carefully, reflect back what is interesting, and show concrete ways in which a story has already touched someone else. They share early cuts of a video or first drafts of a guide so that storytellers can feel the impact of their work. In the smiley economy this encouragement matters because every Living Story and every Living Guide is also a unit of care, a smiley. If stories dry up, the whole system starves. Story Gardeners keep the spring flowing.