"remember that everyone you meet is afraid of something, loves something, and has lost something."

Emily from Sissy Jupe (a must read, by the way), shared this awesome link with me yesterday. Are you familiar with StoryCorps? It is an independent non-profit that travels around the US interviewing ordinary people and collecting the stories of their lives.

I love stuff like this. It single-handedly guts me + has me cheering in my living room; cheering for people who stick it out and love each other well, cheering for moms who are open and honest with their children, and cheering for the people who had the vision to record and share these stories, stories that hopefully remind us of the invisible threads that bind us together in a society so defined by its divisions.

"By listening closely to one another, we can help illuminate the true character of this nation reminding us all just how precious each day can be and how truly great is it to be alive."

Dave Isay,
Founder, StoryCorps

Hooray for ordinary people and the courageous, triumphant, and extraordinary lives they lead.

the quote in my title is from H. Jackson Brown, Jr. you can listen to more stories from the StoryCorps project here on their website, or catch the weekly broadcasts on npr's morning edition. also worth checking out is one of my favorite books, I Thought My Father Was God: And Other True Tales from NPR's National Story Project. i picked up this book  last summer and it had me either in stitches or tears for an entire week, excellent read if you feel up for the emotional instability :)