WEBVTT - A Holiday Message from Dani

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<v Speaker 1>Hi, Family, secrets, Family. It's that time of year again,

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<v Speaker 1>the holiday. Some of us love and some of us

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<v Speaker 1>find challenging. Whatever your family dynamic, the holidays are sure

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<v Speaker 1>to supercharge whatever's there, amplifying joy, grief, confusion, heartache, conflict, gratitude.

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<v Speaker 1>Whether you're having Thanksgiving with extended family or a Friendsgiving

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<v Speaker 1>with chosen family, or skipping the whole thing and getting

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<v Speaker 1>out of dodge. I want to share a few thoughts

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<v Speaker 1>with you. First, I'll tell you about my Thanksgiving. This year.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm hosting sixteen people, and as I share these words,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm waiting for a delivery of an extra table because

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<v Speaker 1>I don't have room to fit all the family who

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<v Speaker 1>are on their way. My in laws, my husband's family,

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<v Speaker 1>are coming. I've known them for twenty seven years, have

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<v Speaker 1>watched my nieces and nephew be born, grow up, become

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<v Speaker 1>young adults. Together, we've mourned the loss of their gain parents,

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<v Speaker 1>my husband's parents. We've witnessed each other grow and change.

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<v Speaker 1>There have been divorces, new marriages, retirements, big life altering decisions.

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<v Speaker 1>There has been illness and recovery. At the same time,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm quite alone. The family I grew up in they're

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<v Speaker 1>all gone. I'm an only child and have, as many

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<v Speaker 1>of you know, a complicated family history, so there's always

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<v Speaker 1>an air of sadness for me around the holidays, a

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<v Speaker 1>sense of loneliness amidst all the chaos and delicious food,

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<v Speaker 1>game playing and laughter. It's my lot in life to

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<v Speaker 1>always be slightly on the outside of things, and that's okay.

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<v Speaker 1>I've come to understand it as a gift. Attempting to

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<v Speaker 1>shine a light on my own complicated history is what

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<v Speaker 1>has allowed me to write book after book. It's what's

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<v Speaker 1>given birth to this podcast, one in which my guests

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<v Speaker 1>and I attempt to shape secrecy, silence, and shame into meaning, empowerment,

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<v Speaker 1>and even beauty. So this Thanksgiving in particular, I am

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<v Speaker 1>enormously grateful for all of you listeners, more than thirty

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<v Speaker 1>three million downloads into this show. I am more aware

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<v Speaker 1>than ever that we are not alone, quite the opposite.

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<v Speaker 1>Our inner worlds form a magnificent tapestry of truth, powered

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<v Speaker 1>by kindness and openness. Thank you for sticking with me

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<v Speaker 1>and for the stories you share. And one more thing.

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<v Speaker 1>On the weekend of December first to the third, I'll

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<v Speaker 1>be leading my only annual retreat at Cropalu, a beautiful

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<v Speaker 1>retreat center in the Berkshire Mountains. It's called The Stories

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<v Speaker 1>We Carry, and we spend our time together shining that light,

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<v Speaker 1>writing to illuminate our own stories, to discover what's there,

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<v Speaker 1>to gather in community and laugh, cry, connect and draw inspiration.

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<v Speaker 1>Every single time I lead this retreat, I'm blown away

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<v Speaker 1>by the people who attend. Friendships are forged and the

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<v Speaker 1>insights just fly. I would love to see some of

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<v Speaker 1>my family secrets family there. It's open to every creative soul.

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<v Speaker 1>You don't need to be a writer to attend, just

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<v Speaker 1>curious and open. If you want to know more, just

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<v Speaker 1>go to Kropalu dot org. That's k r I p

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<v Speaker 1>a l U dot org and look for the Stories

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<v Speaker 1>We Carry Again, wishing you a happy Thanksgiving from my

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<v Speaker 1>heart to yours.