Soaring Stories

I’ve just returned from telling stories at St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.  I was invited by the gracious support of the Memphis Storytelling Guild members. After my performance at the National Storytelling Festival last October, Dixie Brown called and said that the guild would like to sponsor me.  It was my first time to Memphis and the story about southern hospitality was found to be true.  I was treated like a queen and that includes going to IHOP

I went to St. Jude’s on Monday and performed for a small group of children of a variety of ages.  The first thing I noticed was the quality of care these children are receiving .  The dedication of the staff to their desires and needs was really touching.  My firend and sponsor, Dixie Brown, accompanied me to the hospital and we were both inspired by Danny Thomas.  Danny Thomas promised God he would create a childrens’  hospital .  Next tot he hospital is a building that chronicles the development of the hospital as well as artifacts about Danny Thomas, his career and family.

The next day I went to the other children’s hospital, Le Bonheur.  While St. Jude’s was quiet and beautifully decorated Le Bonheur was bustling, loud and busy.  The children there were sick but radiant, accompanied by families and caregivers.  I am trying to include some photos from my visit.

While there I also performed for a general population at Dixie Brown’s church.  I did my father’s World War II story “Love is War.”  There was a crowd of about 100 people and their generosity was humbling.