Elder Tales podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

It was delightful to sit with June and Godfrey and enjoy witnessing their affection for each other whilst sharing emotionally charged and vulnerable stories from their lives – stories which have embedded painful as well as joy-filled memories for them which motivate June and Godfrey to make the most of each day they have together. 

This elderly couple have lived their lives deeply connected to the land, working hard through financial struggles and appreciating the value of simple opportunities, relationships and luck. They have emerged with a heritage much valued by their family. 

This conversation with Fay and Frank is framed with contentment and affection.

Contentment to live in the moment, to treat the past as gone, and to hold plans for the future lightly. And deep affection for each other, tested and refined through many life challenges and still delightfully fresh and vibrant. 

Life is never static - it moves with currents and waves that carry us, at times, in directions and to places we did not, and often would not, choose. The rhythms of nature around us, its ebbs and flows, have much to teach about how we view ourselves in the narrative arc of our own stories.

'Life Lessons from Fish' from the award-winning book 'This Old Stick' describes Trevor's discovery of this lesson from a flapping marine teacher.

Many elderly people tend to recount their stories with a paucity of detail. This is less about memory fading and more about the processes of resilience and survival driving them to distance themselves from the distressing detail of lives lived through wars, global crises, and some societal norms and expectations we would now consider outrageous.

Patty's spiritual faith is existentially central to her life, starting as a young girl, and this has given her the capacity to live a flourishing life despite many significant traumas.

Her story-telling is engaging and inspiring.

Here's another story from 'This Old Stick,' captured by the author's voice and contributions from morning birdsong to add layers of richness and authenticity to the story of a woman whose independence and affinity with nature is woven tightly into the fabric of her life. Please enjoy 'Evelyn's Rescue.'

Over 80 years of being a farmer, Bob looks back on his life with Isobel saying "I enjoyed every bit of it and would do it again." This couple have worked hard through challenges and rewards, investing deeply, not just in their farms and communities, but in each other, and the life of love and value they have built together.

The dying clasp of Jack's intense handshake evokes a moving moment of connection between doctor and patient, despite the heavy air of tension in the room. Listen to the author read this story of 'Complaint' from his collection of award-winning short stories, 'This Old Stick.'

June's life story is defined by generosity, being family-focused, and seeking the good in people. Whilst her early years of life were tough and lacked the template to build these values into her parenting and relationships, she made a determined choice to establish new rituals and attitudes which placed love at the center of her life. Her wise words are a mantra: "Love conquers everything; give it and it comes back 100 times."

Another short story read by the author, from 'This Old Stick.' Allow yourself to be moved by the confused playfulness of Audrey as you join in her emotional journey.