Stories That Mend

This episode concludes the five-part audio series titled 'Stories That Mend,' narrated and produced by Lynette, in collaboration with her grandmother, Joan. It begins with this quote from Everything is a Story: Reclaiming the Power of Stories to Heal and Shape Our Lives by Kaitlin B. Curtice (2025) : "This is the way life works, as our stories cycle and revolve around and around one another: We lo...

In this episode, Lynette shares her emotional journey of finding and reconnecting with her grandmother, Joan, who had given up her father for adoption as a teenager. Lynette and Joan recount their initial conversations, Lynette's process searching for Joan, and the poignant first meeting between this grandmother and granddaughter. The script also covers their evolving relationship, shared family t...

Lynette, the narrator and producer of this story, recounts her experience of being excommunicated from her childhood church and the impacts of her upbringing in that church community and subsequent excommunication on her life. She reflects on her strict and isolated religious upbringing, which included rigid rules, gender discrimination, and extensive indoctrination. Lynette discusses her gradual...

In the second episode of this five-part miniseries, Joan shares her life story after being forced to give up her baby for adoption when she was 17 years old. The story delves into Joan's challenges as she struggles with mental health issues, including a nervous breakdown and hospitalizations, while pursuing music studies at Oberlin College. Despite severe challenges, Joan built a successful career...

In this first episode of a five-part story miniseries, Lynette, the narrator and producer, explores her family's hidden history beginning with a poignant phone call to her grandmother. Joan shares the emotional and tragic story of being forced to give up her baby (Lynette’s father) for adoption in 1955. The narrative captures the societal stigma surrounding unwed mothers, the harsh practices of ma...