Life, Animated

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At risk of appearing like a Radio Lab groupie, I’d like to recommend another episode from my favorite radio show. This episode is called DIY, and it’s about people who take matters into their own hands to get the results they’re looking for.

While the first part about brain stimulators made me pretty squeamish (no thanks – I’ll pass on running electrical current through my brain), the second part filled my heart with gladness.

The second part of the Radio Lab episode DIY was about the Suskind family, who found a most creative means to connect with their autistic son, Owen. As many of you know, I’ve long been fascinated by autism, and I found the Suskinds’ creative approach to reaching their son to be a triumph of the human spirit.

In this Radio Lab episode, we hear from all the members of the Suskind family. In hearing from the various family members, I was reminded of the vastness that’s embedded within the people that are easy to consider lost or inaccessible.

I was moved by the Suskinds’ unshakeable faith that Owen was bright and intelligent, and that the deficit was in their capacity to connect to him.  And this unshakeable faith led to a beautiful journey that’s deftly described in the book Life, Animated, as well as in this recent Radio Lab episode.


I know you’re all very busy but I hope you’ll find the time to connect to the Suskinds’ journey either through Life Animated or the Radio Lab program.

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