While I was on the road the past few weeks, I noticed all the storytelling EVERYWHERE. In the museums about all the famous people, i.e. Lisa Marie sharing stories about her dad, Elvis, on our headphones as we toured Graceland. Or from the people visiting the museums. While at Helen Keller's history museum, I overheard a little girl asking one of the older women that worked there to tell her a story.
"Did you know my grandpa," the little girl asked. The older leaned toward her and replied with a thick, sweet southern Alabama accent, "why you know what? I sure did. I knew him since he was a little, bitty boy." The girl's eyes got wide and she asked, "did you know my great-grandfather?" "Yep," the older woman replied. The little girl hopped up and down with glee. She was mesmerized by the history and the stories the woman told about her grandfathers.
We heard stories from store owners, family, strangers, cousins and each other.
Stories! They connect us, inspire us, make us angry, make us feel all kinds of feelings good and bad. Stories are our past, present and future. I knew it before I left town, but I know it more and I feel it more intensely now.
That is one of the many, many reasons I am so proud to be a small part of encouraging people to tell their stories and come hear stories. I am so proud to be a part of Listen To Your Mother (LTYM). While I was gone this past weekend, the videos of this past year's LTYM shows went live on YouTube. There are 500 videos from across the country, click here to start watching.
I am so excited for you to hear all of them, but if I'm being totally honest I am most excited for you to hear the stories from my Detroit show. I know that you will love them as much as I did/do.
You will meet Sabrina who seems fearless but vulnerable at the same time and you will hear about her journey to accepting herself and learning from her mother to appreciate the now and the wonder of it all.
(Click here to watch the video.)
And Marlowe who has a fascinating life that you will want to know more about and a story that is down right relatable about being perfectly imperfect.
(Click here to watch the video.)
You'll meet Colin who was our first guy in a Detroit LTYM cast and such a sweet guy. His story is gut wrenching and honest and beautiful.
(Click here to watch the video.)
Angela is one of the three Angela's in our cast and she is funny and quirky and wonderful. The story she tells is serious and poignant and so touching.
(Click here to watch the video.)
You will meet Christy who is a survivor and a fighter. Her story is about being afraid and brave at the same time.
(Click here to watch the video.)
Liz is the daughter of our mother/daughter cast duo. She is the daughter we all dream of having--intelligent, kind and so appreciative. Her story is funny and one I hope my daughter tells someday!
(Click here to watch the video.)
You will meet Kim, the mother to Liz, and you will love her. She is freakin funny. Her stage presence will blow you away and you will want her to keep reading and telling her story forever.
(Click here to watch the video.)
Delores is next and her story is one that so many mothers of young kids can relate to. It's a story about trying to keep control of your day, your life, your schedule but at the same time have little kids and be in the moment. Hear how she eased into the silliness.
(Click here to watch the video.)
One of the other Angela's is sort of the resident goofball, the kind of mom that makes everyone feel like they are doing okay. I mean at least I hope that's how I make you feel, otherwise I'm just a goofball. Here's my story about how I am finally maybe able to be the cool mom, or as I like to call it the Beyonce Mom.
(Click here to watch the video.)
Mona is a woman with an air of elegance. I loved seeing her on stage-- she is poise and grace and style. She is also funny and a fierce mama. Her story is about having children that may look different than you and how society reacts and how that makes her feel.
(Click here to watch the video.)
You will meet Chitra, a woman I have so much love and respect for. She was supportive and kind to all of us on the day of the show and has been in the days since the show. Her story is about weaving humor into a life of parenting a child with autism and always finding the joy in life.
(Click here to watch the video.)
The thing about stories and LTYM is when you have a "me too" moment. When you connect with a storyteller and a particular story so much that you find yourself saying "me too." Diane's story was my "me too" moment this past year. Diane tells the story about surviving a mother who was troubled and how she can now look back at her mother with compassion and love. This story hit me hard and the way Diane tells it on stage is all power and strength and softness and raw beauty.
(Click here to watch the video.)
The last video is one of the other Angela's in the show. Angela Amman is my coproducer/codirector/friend. She is also a beautiful writer and compassionate daughter and mother. She tells a story about having a mother that is different than what she wants, or what she thinks she wants, and about finding a beautiful and lasting connection with her.
(Click here to watch the video.)
"Did you know my grandpa," the little girl asked. The older leaned toward her and replied with a thick, sweet southern Alabama accent, "why you know what? I sure did. I knew him since he was a little, bitty boy." The girl's eyes got wide and she asked, "did you know my great-grandfather?" "Yep," the older woman replied. The little girl hopped up and down with glee. She was mesmerized by the history and the stories the woman told about her grandfathers.
We heard stories from store owners, family, strangers, cousins and each other.
Stories! They connect us, inspire us, make us angry, make us feel all kinds of feelings good and bad. Stories are our past, present and future. I knew it before I left town, but I know it more and I feel it more intensely now.
That is one of the many, many reasons I am so proud to be a small part of encouraging people to tell their stories and come hear stories. I am so proud to be a part of Listen To Your Mother (LTYM). While I was gone this past weekend, the videos of this past year's LTYM shows went live on YouTube. There are 500 videos from across the country, click here to start watching.
I am so excited for you to hear all of them, but if I'm being totally honest I am most excited for you to hear the stories from my Detroit show. I know that you will love them as much as I did/do.
You will meet Sabrina who seems fearless but vulnerable at the same time and you will hear about her journey to accepting herself and learning from her mother to appreciate the now and the wonder of it all.
(Click here to watch the video.)
And Marlowe who has a fascinating life that you will want to know more about and a story that is down right relatable about being perfectly imperfect.
(Click here to watch the video.)
You'll meet Colin who was our first guy in a Detroit LTYM cast and such a sweet guy. His story is gut wrenching and honest and beautiful.
(Click here to watch the video.)
Angela is one of the three Angela's in our cast and she is funny and quirky and wonderful. The story she tells is serious and poignant and so touching.
(Click here to watch the video.)
You will meet Christy who is a survivor and a fighter. Her story is about being afraid and brave at the same time.
(Click here to watch the video.)
Liz is the daughter of our mother/daughter cast duo. She is the daughter we all dream of having--intelligent, kind and so appreciative. Her story is funny and one I hope my daughter tells someday!
(Click here to watch the video.)
You will meet Kim, the mother to Liz, and you will love her. She is freakin funny. Her stage presence will blow you away and you will want her to keep reading and telling her story forever.
(Click here to watch the video.)
Delores is next and her story is one that so many mothers of young kids can relate to. It's a story about trying to keep control of your day, your life, your schedule but at the same time have little kids and be in the moment. Hear how she eased into the silliness.
(Click here to watch the video.)
One of the other Angela's is sort of the resident goofball, the kind of mom that makes everyone feel like they are doing okay. I mean at least I hope that's how I make you feel, otherwise I'm just a goofball. Here's my story about how I am finally maybe able to be the cool mom, or as I like to call it the Beyonce Mom.
(Click here to watch the video.)
Mona is a woman with an air of elegance. I loved seeing her on stage-- she is poise and grace and style. She is also funny and a fierce mama. Her story is about having children that may look different than you and how society reacts and how that makes her feel.
(Click here to watch the video.)
You will meet Chitra, a woman I have so much love and respect for. She was supportive and kind to all of us on the day of the show and has been in the days since the show. Her story is about weaving humor into a life of parenting a child with autism and always finding the joy in life.
(Click here to watch the video.)
The thing about stories and LTYM is when you have a "me too" moment. When you connect with a storyteller and a particular story so much that you find yourself saying "me too." Diane's story was my "me too" moment this past year. Diane tells the story about surviving a mother who was troubled and how she can now look back at her mother with compassion and love. This story hit me hard and the way Diane tells it on stage is all power and strength and softness and raw beauty.
(Click here to watch the video.)
The last video is one of the other Angela's in the show. Angela Amman is my coproducer/codirector/friend. She is also a beautiful writer and compassionate daughter and mother. She tells a story about having a mother that is different than what she wants, or what she thinks she wants, and about finding a beautiful and lasting connection with her.
(Click here to watch the video.)
I listened to your whole show the other day and just loved one after the other...what a fantastic show you made come true.
ReplyDeleteCONGRATULATIONS! xoxo
I cannot wait to listen, to you especially! And I agree about story-telling. It threads us all together. I hope we never forget that.
ReplyDelete