This video is a part of the Healing the Heart of Democracy Discussion Guide and can be found with more videos and resources in our “Healing the Heart of Democracy Hub.” You can explore the hub, download the guide, and find all of the videos along with additional resources here.
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Parker: “‘Betty’s Diner’ is a song that says a lot about you, Carrie, and the deeply appreciative eye you have for . . . all the shapes and forms in which human life comes. I think that’s one of the key habits of the heart we need in a democracy—an appreciative eye for the human condition.”
Carrie: “I think ‘Betty’s Diner’ is really a song about community. . . . Where does the spirit of goodness move through the world and through our lives? . . . Often it’s in unexpected places . . . when people come together from all different kinds of backgrounds and stories. I’ve never met a person yet without an amazing story to tell . . . never once.” (Excerpt from video)
Q. Have you had an experience of “the spirit of goodness” moving in “the company of strangers,” an experience that was reassuring about the larger community in which we all live? Have you felt something change for the better as you learned more about the life story of someone you barely knew, or even a total stranger? Can you imagine ways to give people more opportunities to tell their stories as a contribution to our common life?
