Kelly Corrigan Wonders

A touching eulogy for Walter Barry, written by his son Stewart (“Bear Bear"). This is a beautiful tale of family bonds, of three sons who loved to play sports (even inside the family home to a refrain of “Boys take it outside!”) and of a father who led with his heart and intuition. Walter Barry stuck to his guns even when his values and standards weren’t popular, brought joy with his humor, modele...

I had this crazy thing happen one morning trying to get to LAX that I keep reflecting on. Meant to be shared with anyone you think of as one of those people, the ones who go with the grain of life as it happens. (Previously aired) Please be in touch. Write us anytime about anything — hello@kellycorrigan.com — we read every single one. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices vis...

Everyone is thinking about war and service. Here’s a conversation with someone who has known many battlefields and paid dearly for his commitment to defend and protect. Retired Colonel Greg Gadson was a kid who dreamed of playing football and who ended up with Super Bowl rings after all. You can watch this episode at any time on PBS. Special thanks to AmeriHealth Caritas. (Please note: this episod...

In the space between wanting and receiving, between hope and heartbreak, lies the tender territory of human need. This week, we share an excerpt from Jessica Slice's book Unfit Parent about the night her second child entered the world through another woman's body and how love and trauma can occupy the same breath. Her story moves through hospital corridors and sleepless hours, through the weight o...

In a world marked by division and old wounds, sometimes a single act cuts through the darkness. This week, through the words of Simran Singh, we encounter the story of Aaron Castro and his choice to release decades of hatred and transform his pain into something else. Aaron's story speaks of cycles that can be broken, burdens that can be lifted and the alchemy that turns suffering into sanctuary....

Hank Green has spent his career making complex ideas accessible to millions - from creating Crash Course educational videos to co-founding the Nerdfighters community with his brother, novelist John Green. However, when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, he discovered an unexpected creative outlet: stand-up comedy, writing jokes in his journal during treatment that eventually made it to the...

Shannon Watts thought she had it all figured out - marriage, three kids, and a steady job. But by her mid-thirties, she realized she was living someone else's life. After leaving an unfulfilling marriage and career, she spent years asking herself one crucial question: "What do I want?" That led her to found Moms Demand Action at age 41 after a mass school shooting - despite being an introvert with...

Kelly dives into a book that's been consuming her thoughts at dinner parties and conferences alike: Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work by Matthew B. Crawford. It's the story of a guy with a PhD in political philosophy who walked away from a cushy think tank job to open a motorcycle repair shop - and has never been happier. Crawford's book flips everything we think we know a...

Kelly sits down with Lisa Gevelber, Global Vice President and Managing Director at Google, to explore how creativity and making can happen anywhere - even inside giant corporations. Lisa shares how she went from putting herself through college to creating Google Career Certificates, a program that's now graduated nearly 1.5 million people into good-paying jobs without requiring a four-year degree....

This Father's Day, we're re-airing the beautiful eulogy which was the inspiration for Thanks For Being Here and was the very first episode we aired. It was written by Kelly's editor at Random House, Andy Ward, to honor his father. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoice...

This week's Go To features a piece from listener Megan Matthews, who shares her thoughts on how we can better support each other during tough times. Instead of the well-meaning but vague "let me know if you need anything," Megan encourages us to get specific with our offers of help - whether that's taking someone their favorite drink, dropping off paper goods or folding a load of laundry. Drawing...

Kelly and her daughter Claire chat with Boone Hogg and Logan Jugler, the duo behind Stick Nation - that surprisingly wholesome corner of the internet where millions of people celebrate finding and reviewing the perfect stick. What started as a silly bit on a Utah hike has become a global phenomenon that's genuinely good for your mental health. As a part of our Makers series, Boone and Logan talk a...

Kelly shares a beautiful eulogy from listener Jody Antypas which she wrote for her Greek immigrant father George—a man who came to America with one suitcase, built a life from scratch, and somehow managed to love paying taxes more than anyone you've ever met. From his wartime childhood to becoming "Pappou" the pancake-making, Monopoly-playing, sand castle-building grandfather, George's story will...

I’ve been asked to give many graduation speeches. This one was a favorite, making a case for one very simple move that changes everything. (Previously aired) Always happy to hear from you. Write us here: hello@kellycorrigan.com. Sign up for the Wednesday Takeaway email here. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about...

 We're dropping in a bonus episode today -  Kelly had the best time talking to a friend you might know, he is Dwight Schrute from The Office among many, many other things.  His real name is Rainn Wilson and his real interest is in spirituality and matters of the soul. That's why he started a podcast called Soul Boom . We loved this episode of Soul Boom where Rainn interviews Kelly and thought we w...

Meet George Sweetland, a first-grade teacher from Connecticut who turned his love of drawing monsters and late-night sketching sessions into a dream career as a children's book illustrator. In this episode of our Makers series, George shares how an Instagram post changed everything, why he keeps bins of "failed" sketches, and what happened when he tried to make pickle juice risotto for his family....

All three of the Tiehel sisters eulogized their incredible mom PT but this one, written by daughter Amy really sums up the way PT lived her life: always on the lookout for the person having a tough go of it, the loner, the one who needed a helping hand. This is a story about taking the time to really notice people and to help make the world a better place, one small, kind gesture at a time. (Previ...

What if that scrap of paper you're about to throw away holds the seed of something extraordinary? This week, Kelly reflects on the power of saving the small things that might seem insignificant at first glance - from childhood journals and camp letters that sparked a writing career, to a simple bedtime story that evolved into something much bigger. You'll hear the adorable recording of Kelly's dau...

When was the last time your desire to be "better than" someone else got in the way of a meaningful connection - or derailed an important conversation? Kelly welcomes theologian Miroslav Volf to explore how our competitive nature often undermines genuine dialogue. Drawing from his book The Cost of Ambition: How Striving to Be Better Than Others Makes Us Worse, Volf shares wisdom on shifting from in...

Hi all - this is Tammy writing. Today marks one year since Kelly's mom died. On Tuesday, June 4th, 2024, I had the honor of attending the funeral service for Kelly's mom, the indomitable Mary Corrigan - lovingly known as "Jammy" to her six grandkids. One thing (among many) that the Corrigan family does very well is honor and celebrate family. GT, Booker and Kelly each delivered a moving, intimate,...

Kelly explores Amanda Ripley's take on navigating our fear-filled world. Through the story of a government employee facing an impossible choice, Amanda helps us discover how to stay human when everything feels divisive. Plus, Kelly unpacks Chasing Peace author Tom Rosshirt's practical four-step approach to taming anxieties - highlighting a powerful shift from trying to impress others to being genu...

Kelly explores a radical new way to rate politicians with Brad Porteus, the Executive Director of Bridge Grades, who reveals that the most collaborative members of Congress are complete unknowns while the divisive firebrands are celebrities. This eye-opening conversation, part of our Hard Conversations series, challenges our tribal politics and offers a surprising path forward: what if our differe...

Kelly shares a Marine Corps wife's essay (titled "Cincinnatus") honoring her husband's quiet retirement after 20 years of service. Instead of ceremonies, his legacy lives in small, meaningful actions like giving away his expensive uniform to help a young officer and driving a beat-up Corolla with a trunk full of first aid supplies - so he can help anyone, on a moment's notice. It's a moving remind...

Kelly shares the remarkable story of Armia Khalil, a Metropolitan Museum of Art security guard with a secret talent. As a child, Armia played in the mud and created little sculptures by the Nile River. Years later, the artistic young man immigrated to the US with just $375 and a suitcase of woodworking tools. After years of struggle, he landed a job as a security guard at the Met, where a chance c...

As a part of our Hard Conversations series, the author of the New York Times best-seller ⁠The Tell and one of TIME's "2025 Women of the Year", Amy Griffin opens up about confronting trauma after decades of silence - and shares with us why sometimes the hardest conversation of all is the one you're afraid to even begin. With warmth and remarkable clarity, Amy shares how perfectionism and achievemen...