There's an ad on television, maybe you've seen it, where the names and faces of several celebrities flash across the screen and the announcer says that they are the most interesting people in the world. Well, I disagree. Celebrity doesn't make someone interesting. Being alive does. Just being on the earth and having hopes and dreams, difficulties, unexpected pain and pleasure, relationships with others, hobbies, grand thoughts and small -- these are the things that make people interesting. These are the elements of story, and each of us has one.
Based on this attitude, StoryCorps is a non-profit project whose mission is to "honor and celebrate one another's lives through listening. By recording the stories of our lives with the people we care about, we experience our history, hopes, and humanity."
StoryCorps has designated November 27, the day after Thanksgiving, as National Day of Listening. They encourage folks to set aside one hour to record a conversation with someone important to you, preserve the interview using recording equipment, and share those stories. They provide questions you might ask your partner and answers to questions you might have about the process. Check them out at http://www.nationaldayoflistening.org/.
My life is full of the most wonderful, amazing people. I haven't decided which one I will interview next Friday, but I'll let you know. And after you've spent that hour with your partner, learning things about him or her that you couldn't have even imagined, I'd love to hear from you. I invite you to send a photo and a couple of paragraphs about your experience. Send it to the threeminutestonine@gmail.com and I'll post it if you'd like.
Have fun!
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