National Day of Listening



"Listening to people reminds them that their lives matter."(4)

In the United States, the Friday after Thanksgiving is National Day of Listening.  Americans are encouraged to set aside time talking and recording the stories of their families, friends, and local communities.  The National Day of Listening occurs the day after Thanksgiving, when families are more likely to spend time together.  According to Amelia Rachel Hokule’a Borofsky, “The idea is simple: on the day after Thanksgiving family and friends often still gather together. The goal is to sit down for ten to twenty minutes with a loved one and really listen to their story.”(4)
 Lisa McBride says, “During this time of year when we spend so much time with our families, consider setting aside part of one day and celebrate a Day of Listening.  Record or write down living memory and preserve your family stories for generations to come.”(1)  In 2008 tens of thousands of American  interviewed each other as part of the commemoration.(3)

According to the Story Corps website, “The National Day of Listening is a day to honor a loved one through listening. It's the least expensive but most meaningful gift you can give this holiday season. You can choose to record a story with anyone you know.”(2)  Story Corps is a national nonprofit organization modeled after the Federal Writers’ Project of the Works Progress Administration of the 1930s.  You may store your digital stories online at Story Corps, (see their website here for more information.)

Listening to, or reading of, family members stories provides us with learning about them as well as valuable life lessons.  Family stories teach us family traditions, tragedies, struggles, strengths and values.   Recording these stories links the past generations to the future generations through precious stories that cross the generations.  In addition, family stories brings our ancestors names and dates to life and gives them meaning to us! 

Don’t we all want to be heard?
Don’t we all want to be remembered?
Give that gift to a sweet family members this National Day of Listening and capture a precious story or two!

Sources and for more information:
(1)McBride, Lisa, “National Day of Listening”, FamilySearch Blog,posted 8 November 2013. 
(2)Story Corps, online at:  http://nationaldayoflistening.org/
(3)Wikipedia.org:  National Day of Listening


(4) Borofsky, Amelia Rachel Hokule’a, “On National Day ofListening, How to Get Someone’s Story, The Atlantic online, 23 November2013. 
 

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