1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:05,360 Speaker 1: Hi, Family, secrets, Family. It's that time of year again, 2 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 1: the holiday. Some of us love and some of us 3 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 1: find challenging. Whatever your family dynamic, the holidays are sure 4 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: to supercharge whatever's there, amplifying joy, grief, confusion, heartache, conflict, gratitude. 5 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: Whether you're having Thanksgiving with extended family or a Friendsgiving 6 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:29,920 Speaker 1: with chosen family, or skipping the whole thing and getting 7 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:32,600 Speaker 1: out of dodge. I want to share a few thoughts 8 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 1: with you. First, I'll tell you about my Thanksgiving. This year. 9 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: I'm hosting sixteen people, and as I share these words, 10 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 1: I'm waiting for a delivery of an extra table because 11 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:45,159 Speaker 1: I don't have room to fit all the family who 12 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 1: are on their way. My in laws, my husband's family, 13 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 1: are coming. I've known them for twenty seven years, have 14 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 1: watched my nieces and nephew be born, grow up, become 15 00:00:56,440 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 1: young adults. Together, we've mourned the loss of their gain parents, 16 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: my husband's parents. We've witnessed each other grow and change. 17 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 1: There have been divorces, new marriages, retirements, big life altering decisions. 18 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:15,399 Speaker 1: There has been illness and recovery. At the same time, 19 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 1: I'm quite alone. The family I grew up in they're 20 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 1: all gone. I'm an only child and have, as many 21 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 1: of you know, a complicated family history, so there's always 22 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 1: an air of sadness for me around the holidays, a 23 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 1: sense of loneliness amidst all the chaos and delicious food, 24 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 1: game playing and laughter. It's my lot in life to 25 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 1: always be slightly on the outside of things, and that's okay. 26 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 1: I've come to understand it as a gift. Attempting to 27 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 1: shine a light on my own complicated history is what 28 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 1: has allowed me to write book after book. It's what's 29 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 1: given birth to this podcast, one in which my guests 30 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: and I attempt to shape secrecy, silence, and shame into meaning, empowerment, 31 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 1: and even beauty. So this Thanksgiving in particular, I am 32 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 1: enormously grateful for all of you listeners, more than thirty 33 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: three million downloads into this show. I am more aware 34 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: than ever that we are not alone, quite the opposite. 35 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 1: Our inner worlds form a magnificent tapestry of truth, powered 36 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: by kindness and openness. Thank you for sticking with me 37 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:34,799 Speaker 1: and for the stories you share. And one more thing. 38 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,640 Speaker 1: On the weekend of December first to the third, I'll 39 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 1: be leading my only annual retreat at Cropalu, a beautiful 40 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 1: retreat center in the Berkshire Mountains. It's called The Stories 41 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:51,079 Speaker 1: We Carry, and we spend our time together shining that light, 42 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 1: writing to illuminate our own stories, to discover what's there, 43 00:02:55,800 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 1: to gather in community and laugh, cry, connect and draw inspiration. 44 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 1: Every single time I lead this retreat, I'm blown away 45 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 1: by the people who attend. Friendships are forged and the 46 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 1: insights just fly. I would love to see some of 47 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:15,920 Speaker 1: my family secrets family there. It's open to every creative soul. 48 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 1: You don't need to be a writer to attend, just 49 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: curious and open. If you want to know more, just 50 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:26,519 Speaker 1: go to Kropalu dot org. That's k r I p 51 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 1: a l U dot org and look for the Stories 52 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 1: We Carry Again, wishing you a happy Thanksgiving from my 53 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 1: heart to yours.