Do you believe in soul mates? In this episode we explore the notion of soul mates, both the more common understandings in terms of romantic partnerships and the more expansive ideas of kindred spirits and soul families.
We dig into ancient thinkers like Plato, the early Christian understandings of marriage and sexuality, and how these ancient ideas (and gender biases) continue to be problematic in the 21st century.
What We’re Reading and Listening To
Ashley’s Pick: Miss Americana on Netflix
Though she’s been fairly neutral on Taylor Swift, Ashley was pleasantly surprised by how much she liked the Netflix documentary about her life, Miss Americana. It’s a look at her career, how she came from country music when she was just a teenager, and how she grew up in the spotlight and became one of the most successful performers of all time. It’s a good reminder that we’re all human, even celebrities, and no one gets it right all the time.
Katey’s Pick: Dolly Parton’s America by WNYC
Hosted by Jad Abumrad, whom you might know from the podcast Radiolab, Dolly Parton’s America explores how both her prolific music and dazzling presence have shaped our culture for decades, not only in the United States but around the globe. This podcast covers everything from feminism to globalization to the origin of musical instruments–for example, the banjo originated in West Africa. The whole show is inspiring, heart-warming, and feel-good, which we all could use a little bit more of these days.
Kindred of the Moment: Shannon Dingle
Shannon Dingle lives her grief out loud in the most raw and powerful ways. After her husband Lee died in an accident last summer, she’s been incredibly raw, honest, and unapologetic about her journey of widowhood and solo-parenting as someone who lives with disabilities and a history of trauma. Shannon is so many things: a writer, a survivor, an advocate, and someone who speaks to the issues that few of us want to talk about but that we need to talk about. She inspires us to learn, grow, and be better! Follow Shannon on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram.