Go To Thoughts on Graduation

A young friend of mine, Sophie G, shared this speech that she had saved from her high school graduation week.  It was given by Dr. Chris Cunningham, then at Lawrenceville, now at Whitfield, who gathered 10 takeaways for the students that are actually quite useful to every one of us.  To receive our weekly takeaways or share feedback, shoot us a note at [email protected].  

Krista Tippett, informed by decades of inquiry through her super-project, On Being, sits with Kelly to consider what’s in flux, what needs will never abate and what we might rediscover in new forms. In this moment when everything is broken open, when institutions are received with less reverence and more skepticism, where should we point our minds and hearts? What practices serve us best? This is a conversation to share with every thinking friend in your life and use as fodder for your own search for a spiritual home. (Previously aired)Thanks to our many friends at the Aspen Ideas Festival for making this interview possible.

We all have things we do to help us manage grief.  Today's episode is a look at one of the ways that Kelly handled the loss of her beloved dad, Greenie.  In the year following his death, she wrote and sent emails out into the ether - to connect with him in a small but very meaningful way.  We want to wish a Happy Father's Day to everyone from us all at Kelly Corrigan Wonders. 

A special episode dedicated to Kelly’s dear friend Liz Laats who passed away 8 years ago - and the friends we have all lost. Liz’s birthday would have been on June 19th. (Previously aired)

This is one of my favorite groupings of guests ever. Sometimes the chemistry is just so right. For the last episode of the 10-part series on Well Being, I knew we had to talk about the psychology of making change. For that, we needed the leadership of Angela Duckworth, who wrote Grit and is always thinking and rethinking how we understand ourselves. She’s been a guest before and her lab is devoted to surfacing actionable advice for parents and teachers based on science. Joining us are two friends of the show: Fulbright scholar and entrepreneur Dreme Flynt and a kid from Prattville, AL who is about graduate from Harvard and move to Arkansas to work as an economist at Walmart Will McQuiston. Dreme and Will bring real world challenges to the conversation about habit formation. You can watch any episode of this series any time at PBS.org/kelly. You can receive our weekly takeaways here. And please be in touch. Emails help us shape our show. We read everything that comes in to [email protected].

Hi all - this is Tammy writing.  This past 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.  I also had the privilege of witnessing a very tight, special family gather around their remarkable matriarch at the end of her life.  We all have that one friend whose mom was maybe a little bit intimidating when we were younger but who we respected the hell out of and wanted desperately to like us - that was Mrs. Corrigan for me.  I was thrilled that as I got older, she actually did seem to like me.  I remember one time when I stopped by in recent years, she invited me to sit in her beautiful living room at 168 Wooded Lane and proceeded to ask me questions about my life, and talked with me for over an hour.  Another time when I visited, she sat me at her kitchen table and showed me how, when watching football on TV, I could look at the little arrows on the scoreboard to determine which team currently had the ball - I felt like I had hit the lottery.  When Mary Corrigan shined her light on you, it was unforgettable.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, often humorous eulogy for their one-of-a-kind mom, in front of the hundreds of people who filled St. Thomas of Villanova church to honor her this past Tuesday. Today, we're sharing Kelly's.

It was a bad day in a bad week. And then, there he was, The Husband, trying a trick we used to do with the girls. Smile therapy. Is it real? Did it work? Thoughts on forcing a mood shift by moving your facial muscles… (Previously aired)

How does spirituality factor into well being? Do people of faith have better mental health? Here’s a warm and expansive conversation with several surprises. Dr. Alexis Abernathy, daughter of a preacher and devoted scientist, studies patience, comfort and strain in the context of cancer, disordered eating and depression. Enriching the conversation at every turn are friends of the show, W. Kamau Bell (comedian and producer) and Dr. BJ Miller (palliative care doc and author). Thanks to PBS for supporting this series. You can watch any episode any time on PBS.org/kelly. We love hearing from listeners. Please share your thoughts in an email to [email protected].

Lean Macfarlane wrote this exquisite eulogy to honor her husband Brian. It's a beautifully intimate portrait of the man Brian was and how he lived his life but also a look at the close and loving marriage that Leah and Brian shared.  An attorney, Brian had a sharp legal mind and used words precisely.  He often used the legal term "ad idem" to describe their relationship and marriage - Leah uses it here in the most poignant and lovely way. 

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. Always happy to hear from you. Write us here: [email protected]. Sign up for the Wednesday Takeaway email here.