What's that one thing about how people speak English that gets on your nerves? When people say “like” a lot? Or say “literally” when they mean “figuratively”? We all have language pet peeves, and we may even be willing to admit that we judge people who break the rules. After all, how we talk matters. Why do we insist on proper English — and what does that say about us?
This week we visit the tomb of Sufi mystic Rumi, who is one of the most popular poets the world over. We explore the relationship between Islam and Sufism, as well as the influence of Rumi on Muslims everywhere, not just Turkey. We speak with scholar Kevin Blankinship about Rumi's life and poetry and we visit with Sheikh Ahmet Sami Kuçuk in Konya, the city where Rumi settled over 800 years ago. We'll also observe the dervishes in their whirling trance. All up next on this episode of In Good Faith.
With a teenager at home, it can always feel like you're doing something wrong as a parent. You're asking too many questions, you're enforcing too many rules, you aren't involved enough or offering the support that they need. It can be a particularly complicated stage of parenting. So how can we know when we should "helicopter" parent our kids and establish more boundaries, and when should we back off and let them make their own choices, mistakes and all? Lisa talks with Jennifer Johnson, Emily Spencer, and Colleen Harker in the episode of The Council of Moms to find out.
Andrew Leland figured out he was going blind when he began stumbling in the dark as a teenager. Using the then-nascent internet, he diagnosed himself with retinitis pigmentosa, a condition which has caused his sight to gradually degrade from the outside in. Far from being the tragedy he expected, his blindness has simply become part of everyday life—bringing with it surprising humor and unexpected beauty.
It's a phrase that is all too familiar to every caregiver. Some well-meaning person, in an attempt to show their support, will say, "Let me know what I can for you!" While on the surface it may seem like a helpful thing to say, for the caregiver, this phrase is often just a superficial act that only serves to increase the amount of stress on their already-full plate. So what SHOULD someone do when they want to support the overwhelmed caregiver in their life? In this episode of The Lisa Show's episode on caregiving, Lisa talks with caregivers in several walks of life, as well as experts David Schenk and Suzanne Degges-White, to figure out the best ways to offer relief.
Our “Stick With It” series on the Top of Mind podcast continues with several stories from Utah Governor Spencer Cox about staying open and curious during intense political disagreements. As the new chair of the National Governors Association, Cox has made “Disagree Better” his signature initiative for the year. In this podcast episode, the Republican Governor of Utah explains how engaging with political opponents (including President Joe Biden) in a civil manner has led to better outcomes for his state. He also shares the story of a time when he fell short and went viral for calling members of Congress “imbeciles.” It got him a lot of praise supporters, but Cox quickly apologized and committed to do better. The “Disagree Better” initiative aims to use the unique influence of state governors to encourage healthier approaches to conflict in American politics and public life.
In this episode, we explore Islam in Turkey, a country that is now 97% Muslim, but for over a millennium was pre-dominantly Christian. We'll discuss how that transition took place, well into the rule of the Ottomans, with Professor Christine Isom-Verhaaren, and we'll meet a former Imam, Cemil Usta, who founded an afterschool program to teach girls how to recite the Koran. That recitation is like a performance, almost a song, and we'll hear Cemil Usta recite a section of the Koran as well.
When you're taking care of kids, it can feel impossible to do everything that you want to do in a day. There's taking the kids to school, exercise, making meals, working, cleaning, shopping, picking up the kids, taking them to practice, helping them with homework, keeping up with friends, running a side-hustle, and THEN you're also supposed to somehow have your own hobbies and take time for self-care. There's just no way! In this episode of The Council of Moms, Lisa talks with Liz Palmer, Jennifer Johnson, and Suzanne Clark about how they keep all the right plates spinning at once.
When the two teenage children of a close-knit family are killed by a drunk driver, the grief-stricken parents turn to their Jewish community for support. They learn that constructive grief requires community and conversation, and they set out to rebuild a joyful life that honors their lost children while embracing others in need.
Have you ever been surrounded by people, and still felt profoundly alone? Lisa talks with Dr. Julianne Jolt-Lunstad and Dr. Suzanne Degges-White about the impact of loneliness on caregivers with experts, and the root causes of this intense experience. Emilie Campbell shares her experience as a special mom to 16-year old Connor, and how she copes with the long-term emotional marathon of aloneness in caregiving.