How do we heal a wound we’ve forgotten we even caused? This week on the Story Road, Maria Gillen in Cork and Jim Brulé in New York bridge the Atlantic to explore the grit, grace, and "sickly sweet" traps of modern storytelling.

The Hassid’s Broken Vow Jim transports us to Eastern Europe with a Jewish wisdom tale. When a couple’s longing for a child leads them to the great Seer of Lublin, they discover that their future is held hostage by a ghost from the past. It’s a journey of radical repentance involving a week-long fast, 300 rubles, and a voice from beyond the grave that proves forgiveness is the only way forward.

Rosemary and the Toxic Time Traveler Maria shares a vibrant myth co-created with bilingual students in Daun, Germany. Meet Rosemary, a 140-year-old being who appears as a teenager, as she returns to the darkening land of Mythica. This story dives into generational trauma, featuring a "Toxic Time Traveler" - Rosemary's own father -whose bitterness over the past threatens to extinguish the world’s light.

1. The Persistence of Forgotten Loss: Both stories center on a loss or injury that was suppressed or forgotten but continued to affect the living world.
2. Healing is an Earned Process: Transformation cannot be forced or rushed; in both tales, peace and the "melting" of bitterness had to be earned through a specific, often difficult, journey.
3. Embracing the Darkness: To move toward the light, one must first face and embrace the darkness rather than denying its existence.
4. The Danger of the "Sickly Sweet": Using the film Wicked as a modern example, the hosts argue that stories lose their power when they are sugar-coated; true value comes from confronting difficult ambiguities.
5. Intergenerational Wisdom: Stories serve as "anchors" for discussing modern challenges, allowing different generations to explore complex truths in a safe, metaphorical space.

1. 00:00 – Welcome to the Story Road.
2. 00:42 – Jim’s Tale: A journey to Lublin and the high cost of a broken promise.
3. 14:33 – Maria’s Tale: Rosemary faces the Toxic Time Traveler in Mythica.
4. 21:55 – The Deep Dive: Why forgotten losses haunt our present.
5. 26:12 – Reflections on Wicked: Confronting the "sickly sweet" vs. the truth.

"True story power comes from confronting the hardest challenges, not when we wrap them up in a bow."

In this episode of 'From Cork to New York,' Maria Gillen from Cork and Jim Brule from New York weave together timeless stories from their homelands. Jim shares the tale of 'Love Like Salt,' a story about a king and his three daughters, and the youngest daughter's profound love expressed through the simple comparison to salt. Maria follows with the enchanting story of Muirish and the mystical white horses of the sea, interweaving elements of folklore, nostalgia, and the essence of true companionship. Together, they create a rich tapestry of narrative that bridges the cultural and geographical gap between Cork and New York.

1. 00:00 Welcome
2. 00:55 Jim - Love Like Salt
3. 08:24 Maria - Muirish and the White Horse

In this episode of 'From Cork to New York,' Maria Gillen and Jim Brule share stories and reflections that traverse continents and emotions. They explore the connection between physical distance and emotional closeness, neuroscience, and the bond between people and places. Maria recounts a profound experience on Spike Island and shares a mystical Irish story about the She Wolf, while Jim tells a heartwarming Jewish tale about faith, generosity, and divine intervention. Themes of nature, connection, and ancient traditions weave throughout, making this episode a rich tapestry of storytelling and human experience.

00:00 Welcome

07:41 Jim's Story - Silver and Gold

22:58 Maria's Story - Si Mac Tire

36:33 Discussion