often help restore damaged friendships .” abby B u s i n e s s F i n a n c e

Story Corp: Listening is an Act of Love: NPR also has a program entitled “StoryCorp”  This program reminds us that “Listening is an Act of Love.” We learn about each other through dialogue. An important part of that dialogue is listening to each other. Through listening, we learn. StoryCorps is an organization that brings us together to share our interpersonal experiences. For this assignment, you will “listen” to the voices of “two people who are important to each other.”

What’s Their Story? For this assignment, you will “listen” to stories about what others believe. Focus on stories that tie to the course material. That is, the topics should address some aspect of interpersonal connections and/or relationships. Before you post your assignment, you will need to do the following:

Open https://storycorps.org/podcast/  (Links to an external site.) 

Find a podcast with at least 3 stories with a theme that addresses interaction/relationships. 

You will analyse all 3 stories in the podcast. If there are more than 3 stories, pick the three you like best and leave the rest. 

Listen to each story and take notes.

Body of Essay Instructions: Once you have taken notes about the stories, you will write an essay response.  In the body of your post, you must include:

Paragraph 1: Start with information/history about the website and its purpose (be brief). 

Read through all information (beginning,purposes, etc.) and watch posted videos. Link: https://storycorps.org/about/ (Links to an external site.)

Paragraph 2, 3, & 4: Analysis of each story:

• Start with a brief overview of the story for the reader.

Summarize of the author’s core belief and the way this belief has shaped life in the past or present.

Answer each of the following questions in your 1-2 paragraph summary of each story:

How do they establish their own unique voice through each essay? Explain what you got out of the essay/story.

• What did you have in common with the essay/story? What connection do you have to the belief? If you did not have any thing in common or connect with story, explain how you responded emotionally and intellectually to these experiences.
• What experiences have shaped the lives of each? How does each respond, physically or emotionally, to these experiences?
• Include working hyper-links to the podcast you used for this assignment at then end of the last body paragraph. 

For example: The podcast used for this essay is: https://storycorps.org/podcast/second-chances/

Paragraph 5: Finish up this bad-boy with a proper and brief conclusion. 

Peer Responses: You are required to post two peer responses using the same criteria used for Chapter DB peer responses: 150 words per response and 1 textbook reference with citation per peer response.

1. StoryCorp is a collection of stories from hundreds of thousands of people. The mission is to preserve these stories so that they can build a stronger connection amongst people and it allows people to be heard. This allows the wisdom of past generations to pass down their wisdom and stories to the generations to come which helps build the understanding of the importance to listen and learn from one another.

Herman Travis began delivering groceries to the elderly and disabled people at the low-income housing complex he lived in every week. He did this because he knew they were unable to do it themselves or it was just very difficult for them. Herman knew it was the right thing to do and it made him very happy to do it. He was able to create strong bonds between him and his neighbors and it brought them all closer together. Herman was able to change the lives of his neighbors he helped because they no longer had to worry about how they were going to get food. I do think that if there is something you can do to help the people out around you, you should just go for it and give it a try. The feeling of being selfless and helping someone less fortunate is invaluable. Herman said “Doing something people really need, and that make me feel really good”, is a good example of helping people out can make you feel good too, so it is a win-win situation. Herman seems to be a happy person who has made a lot of close friends by just being kind to the people around him. His neighbors seem to really appreciate and respect him for the work he does too.

Maurice Rowland and Miguel Alvarez worked together at an assisted care center together. Maurice was the cook at the center and Miguel was the janitor. The care center was shut down unexpectedly and left abandoned with people who needed help still inside living there. With no one left to pay anyone, most of the workers up and left. Maurice and Miguel could not just walk away from the place and leave the people inside to hurt themselves or even die, so they decided to stay and help, even without pay. Even if the task was hard, they stayed and began to do pretty much everything there including giving out people’s medications and even bathing them. They were no longer just a cook and the janitor; they were everything to those people. Though I have never been in a situation anything like this, it reminds me that sometimes you must do what is right instead of what is just best for yourself. By sticking around and working near 24-hour long days for three days straight, they potentially saved the lives of everyone in the care center. It is a very touching and heartwarming story and makes you have hope in humanity. In Miguel’s case, he was abandoned by his parents at a young age, so he knew what it felt like to be left alone and helpless, and he refused to let the people within the center go through the same experience he did.

Ronald Ruiz was a buss operator who talked about one of his most memorable passengers. An older lady got on his buss one day and did not know which restaurant her friends were at, so he drove to all the restaurants around him and checked inside for her friends. When he finally found the one, he took her hand and walked her through the buss and helped her off because he wanted her to feel special. She said that she felt like Cinderella, she was just diagnosed with cancer, and today was the best day of her life. Ronald is a great example of how helping someone out does not have to be some big thing or even difficult, it can be little gestures that help in a big way. It is not easy to tell what people are going through, so it is important to treat everyone with kindness. Just going out of your way to do something to help someone, whether it is big or small, can create these huge everlasting impacts on both parties. I believe that it is important to do these throughout your everyday life. Just holding the door open or taking the time to let someone you know you appreciate them is an important part of a healthy society. If you see someone is having a harder day, there is no reason you cannot take five seconds to show them that you see them, and they matter. Ronald seems to be very emotional when talking about this story, and it probably showed him that he should take the time to treat everyone with a little bit more respect and to put the little extra effort in because you never know how that can impact the person you are helping. (Link to all stories (Links to an external site.))

I think the common theme throughout all of these stories is that you should just be kind to those around you and “lend a helping hand” (chapter 10, 299) when you see they could use it. Sometimes you may end up doing something that is much more difficult, and other times it can be something that requires little effort, but they are both equally worth doing. We can also boost our “self-concept” (chapter 3, 70) through “reflected appraisal” (chapter 3, 72) if we are kind make ourselves someone people enjoy being around. The connections we can end up creating and the happiness it brings to everyone involved is important because in the end, all we have are memories, so we should create ones that bring us joy make us proud of who we are.

2. StoryCorps is a nonprofit organization created to share stories to build connections with different people. StoryCorps began in 2003 and now has thousands of people sharing their personal stories.

“I Don’t Know What I Would Do Without You” Brothers, Russell (28 y/o) and Remick (27 y/o), both have autism and have always counted on each other for support. Russell recalls a situation working at a cafe years ago with his brother. A customer came in to order a drink and the employee (who also had autism) was not very talkative and often had a scowl on his face. The customer took this the wrong way and got very angry. Russell quickly took the man aside and explained to him that the employee had autism and did not intend any ill meaning with his interaction. The man began to cry because he felt so bad. Russell states this helped him build his confidence. Both brothers explain that they had a hard time growing up because it was difficult for them to socialize with others but they are grateful to have each other because both understand how hard it can be. I understood that these two brothers had to go through some tough obstacles in their lives but because they offered each other “emotional support” they were able to conquer these obstacles. Interplay states that emotional support focuses on the person’s emotions and listens/responds with empathy. This type of support keeps relationships thriving (chapter 9, page 283) which is why I believe Russell and Remick have such a strong bond. I relate with this story because I try and find ways to connect with people to have a better understanding of who they are. Finding ways to connect with my friends, coworkers etc. helps me feel closer to them. Russell, being the older brother, always felt like he had to protect Remick. Remick did feel protected and appreciates having a big brother who understands his struggles. Both feel very appreciative of each other because they have someone “with the same kind of emotions” and that is what helps them get through their struggles.https://storycorps.org/stories/brothers-living-with-autism-on-navigating-through-work-and-life/ (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)

“It was My Fault You Didn’t Have a Father” Abby and her father, Ralph, had a rough relationship as he was in and out of jail for ten years due to his heroin addiction. Abby was not aware of his drug addiction which created a heavier resentment when he came back in her life. They tried to connect while he was in jail but Abby describes it as “trying to talk to someone through a wall.” It took some time but now Abby and Ralph have a strong relationship. Both Abby and Ralph give some context on what they were thinking while Ralph was in jail. Abby says she was so young she did not really know the extent of her fathers wrongdoings, she believed it was solely for stealing. Ralph explains that he was not thinking at that time and that his addiction caused him to commit other crimes. I felt sad listening to your story, although I did not experience what Abby went through, I know the feeling of loving your father and having certain expectations for him, so I have an idea of how disappointing it can be to not be able to build that connection with him. When Ralph was officially out of jail, Abby found out the real reason for his incarceration and was very angry at him. It was difficult but Abby was eventually able to forgive her father. Forgiveness is an important act in relationships that has personal and relational benefits. Authors of Interstate claim, “ On a personal level, forgiveness has been shown to reduce emotional distress and aggression… Interpersonally, extending forgiveness to lovers, friends and family can often help restore damaged friendships.” Abby was able to forgive her father and he is now the person she trusts the most and she is proud of herself and her dad for being able to achieve that. Ralph gets emotional talking about the past because of his mistakes but he is also happy they have both moved past it and are now stronger than ever.https://storycorps.org/stories/a-daughter-comes-to-terms-with-her-fathers-time-in-prison/ (Links to an external site.)

“I was afraid you would not accept me” Chas’ father, T., invited him on a 2 week road trip after being estranged for 30 years. Chas is a transgender man and at 13 years old was afraid his father would not accept him. Chas feels regretful for the lost time with his father but is now grateful that they have each others support. I understand that Chas was afraid of his father’s reaction to him being transgender. T. was religious and even admitted himself that he was not as open minded as he is now. In the textbook Interplay, the author states that “openness” is essential in “relational maintenance.” the authors define openness as, “Talking directly about the nature of the relationship and disclosing your personal needs or concerns.” Chas and T. could have benefited from voicing their concerns and working on those concerns instead of avoiding each other for decades. I do understand because it can be very difficult speaking to parents about things they do not believe in or are against. It is scary to think that the person who should love you the most thinks you are living your life the wrong way. T. mentions that as he has gotten earlier he has learned more and gained more of an open mind which is why he invited his son out on the trip. The trip allowed both of them to be honest and accepting of each other. https://storycorps.org/stories/a-road-trip-and-lost-time-a-father-and-son-reconnect-after-30-years/ (Links to an external site.)

All three of these stories verify the importance of practicing strong interpersonal case. The first story shows the importance of receiving/giving emotional support, the second story shows the benefits of forgiveness and the third story touches on being able to communicate about any issues and open mindedness in your relationships.