"It will break your heart....In a good way! Listen."

It's late Sunday afternoon, I'm hot, tired and frustrated that only 3 out of the 15 things on my To-Do list are done and the weekend is almost over.  In an act of self-care and possible procrastination, I decided to ditch the list and go find some succulents to plant. As I'm preparing to leave, Ryan grabs my phone eagerly, and after a few frustrated moments of searching, hands it back to me and demands "where's Stitcher?"  Sticher is the podcast application he downloaded on my phone months before.  I find the 'app' and he dives back in to my phone.  First, I must say, this is already an uncommon occurrence for him to be diving into my phone, or to be so demanding about it.  He excitedly finds what he is looking for, hands me my phone back and tells me (read: insists), "while you are out running around, listen to this, it will break your heart."  I look up at him with a contorted, less than enthusiastic face and say, "the last thing I need is to have my heart broken right now."  "No" he says, "in a good way!  Listen."  

I said "OK", but reluctantly so, and in full disclosure I wasn't sure if I was being honest when I agreed to listen.  I could see in his eyes the "I know what's best for you look" that I tend to resist as a rule.  Although, I considered as I drove off that he's usually right, and as an avid podcast listener he rarely insists I listen to anything.  So, I was now hot, tired, frustrated, and intrigued.

I wandered off for an hour and started listening.  I listened enraptured, and it's true, these stories broke my heart, in a good way, just like he said.   The depth and inspiration in all three of these stories melted me.  I shook with tears shamelessly at the end of the second story as I walked our dog around the neighborhood that evening.

I am often asked by others, even sometimes my clients, "how can you do this work, listening to others' heartaches all week?"  My answer is my clients inspire me with the depth of their experiences, their desire to move forward, the hope they cultivate, and the growth they continually endeavor to achieve.  It is the strength of their humanity that inspires me daily, often in magical ways.  The stories in this podcast are the essence of to what I try to speak.  I am consistently in awe of the human capacity to experience such tragedy and find ways to survive and thrive through it all.

Find an hour, follow the link below and be inspired.  

Third Coast International Audio Festival
"Enemies to Friends Show"

http://www.thirdcoastfestival.org/library/1225-re-sound-165-enemies-to-friends-show


Suggestions and feedback for the blog and future topics can emailed to annemillikentherapy@gmail.com.  More information regarding my private practice and therapy services can be found at annemilliken.com.