This American Life

When I left for Peace Corps I only brought a few mementos from home. One of them was my This American Life decoder pin. I always felt like the story telling on This American Life struck a deep chord with me and not just because I've always wanted to be a story teller myself.

On Maine Public Radio This American Life is presented on Sunday evenings. It is the perfect time for the show. After a long week, preparing for another week, I would make dinner and listen quietly. It was my own secular meditation/worship. Most of the time the stories on the show would make me think beyond myself in a way that was unique. Sometimes I felt revulsion, sometimes reverence, sometimes joy, sometimes sadness.

This past Sunday with the new This American Life podcast (since the show plays here at the worst times of day) I started what I hope will be a new personal tradition. With good bread, mediocre brie, and a glass of white wine I sat back in the cool darkness of my apartment and let the stories wash over me.