There’s a Black Friday gift you can give your loved ones that is so priceless no store can even sell it (for those of you outside the U.S., Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, so called because big sales and the volume of shoppers boost merchants “into the black”).
It’s StoryCorps’ National Day of Listening. The National Day of Listening was started by StoryCorps in 2008 as a way to provide an alternative to Black Friday shopping sprees and start a new holiday tradition: Set aside an hour to interview a friend, a loved one, or someone in your community about his or her life.
Here’s an excerpt from StoryCorps’ Day of Listening Proclamation:
WHEREAS: The National Day of Listening is an effort to encourage all Americans to honor a friend, loved one, or member of their community by interviewing them about their lives; and
WHEREAS: The National Day of Listening occurs every year on the day after Thanksgiving when friends and families come together; and
WHEREAS: The National Day of Listening acknowledges that everyday people make a difference in communities across the United States and recognizes the need for the stories of these unsung heroes to be told; and
WHEREAS: The National Day of Listening allows people to honor and celebrate one another’s lives through listening; and
WHEREAS: The National Day of Listening helps to create a kinder, more thoughtful and compassionate nation;…
I love listening to StoryCorps on National Public Radio. Sometimes the stories make me laugh out loud. Sometimes they leave me in tears. They always leave me with the joy of being part of a rich tapestry of a nation. If you’ve not had the chance to hear StoryCorps, here are some stories you can listen to right now on your computer (be sure to listen to the one titled, “What’s the best tip you ever got?”).
StoryCorps makes it easy to be part of The National Day of Listening, offering downloadable DIY guide to suggest great starter questions and ways to record the conversation easily.
Here’s to a new holiday tradition of conversations that make real meaning and connection in our lives.
Tammy, this is great! Thank you for this information. It makes me mindful of the need to catch up with special people with whom I do not speak as often as I would like, as well as the general fact that verbal communication and handwritten notes are losing out to emails and social networks. While the latter two have their benefits (such as this forum), I find we sometimes use them as an excuse not to communicate directly with people.
Thank you for your "gift" and Happy Thanksgiving.!
Happy Thanksgiving to you, too, Corri!