Stories worth hearing

and the importance of sharing and listening

Jul 05, 2026

“Listen, and you will realize that we are made not from cells or from atoms. We are made from stories.”~ Mia Couto

people having a bonfire — Photo by Mike Erskine on Unsplash

It started out with just a tape recorder and a list of questions.

This was back in the early 2000’s when I volunteered for a local organization that supported homebound elderly people. The group is called Faith in Action and I visited a wonderful woman in her late 80’s named Margaret.

We met once a week at her house and I did that for about six years. It was a very rewarding experience and as I look back on it, I remember all of the conversations we had and the stories we shared from both of our lives.

At one point I asked Margaret’s daughter if I could tape record some of these stories so that they could be kept and shared with others in her family. Her daughter thought it was a great idea and so I researched and created a list of questions and we had a delightful exchange.

Later on that summer I asked my parents if I could do the same thing for them and they agreed. It was the summer of 2002 and twenty years later, after my mother passed away, I took that recording and made digital copies for all of my siblings.

I occasionally listen to that recording and beyond the family stories that are shared, I love to just listen to sound of my parents’ voices.

If you stop to think about it, each of us is a walking, talking wealth of knowledge and series of personal stories…some joyful…some tragic…some inspirational…

Why not take time every day to connect to those around us, pull up a chair and just share what is on our hearts and then listen…

It was once said that by sharing our stories, they take up residence in someone’s soul… That the tales will move them and drive them and who knows what they might do because of them…

So reconnect with someone you love. Ask them something you’ve always wondered. Press record if you can — and if you can’t, just listen closely.

We are made from stories — and if we’re lucky, we appreciate all that those stories give us.

Share Kindness Boomerang Newsletter

For information about why I started this newsletter, please go to the about section.

The word is…

In honor of my dear friend and mentor, Sister Agnes, I am choosing to focus each issue of my newsletter on one word.

This time our word is Memories.

"Memory is the diary that we all carry about with us." ~ Oscar Wilde

Who have you shared your memories with?

a pile of old photos and postcards sitting on top of each other — Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Tranquil Moments…

I asked my niece, Jennifer Malphy, if she could share some of her nature photos with my newsletter audience. Each week I will feature a new photo. Here is this week’s:

This week’s Smile video

Every Fourth of July marks the loss of more veterans of World War II. Steve Hartman met a young man who is racing against time to preserve their stories.

#spreadkindness #smilevideos

What I am watching…

This week I am enjoying watching a favorite show from my childhood. I forgot how much slapstick humor is a part of Laverne & Shirley. Watching this series is a great way to catch a few laughs and enjoy a television comedy classic!