📝 Show Notes

In the season finale of The Words We’ve Heard, host Marbree Sullivan sits down with her own mother, Dale, for a conversation that traces an unconventional and deeply meaningful life—from post-war Pennsylvania to San Francisco, Tokyo, and beyond.

Together, they explore Dale’s childhood in a family of educators, her early love of dance, studying French in Belgium and art history in Florence, and the challenges and joys that came with raising a family and following her husband’s career around the country and abroad. From earning her CPA as a young mother to curating an international print show in Japan, Dale’s story weaves together artistry, resilience, and quiet courage.

It’s a heartfelt reflection on change, compromise, and creating a life that, while not linear, has been entirely her own and wholly wonderful.

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Travel, Transition, and Creating a Career in an Emerging Field with Cindy

In this episode of The Words We’ve Heard, host Marbree Sullivan sits down with Cindy, whose life bridges academia, ministry, and family with humility and grace. From an idyllic childhood in Connecticut to studying abroad in the Netherlands as a teenager, Cindy’s early years sparked a lifelong love of language, learning, and global awareness.

She shares the experience of attending a girl’s school in Europe, encountering sexism in college, transferring to Yale, finding a calling in an emerging profession, and more. Cindy speaks candidly about losing her mother at a young age, divorce, finding a true life partner in her second husband, how retirement opened the door to a surprising second career as a deacon, and the gift of learning different cultures.

This is a story about broadening perspectives, service, family, education, and the courage to make your way in the world.

🎧 Key Moments in the Episode

• [00:00:00] – A Joyful Childhood in Connecticut and Relocating as a Teen
  
  
  
• [00:07:25] – Studying Abroad in the Netherlands and Learning to Dream in Dutch
  
  
  
• [00:12:45] – Coming Home: Culture Shock and Debate Team
  
  
  
• [00:17:27] – Choosing a Course of Study and Transferring to Yale
  
  
  
• [00:21:12] – Losing Her Mother and Starting Life as an Adult
  
  
  
• [00:23:40] – Finding Her Calling in Social Work
  
  
  
• [00:28:00] – Raising a Family, Pursuing a PhD, and Balancing it All
  
  
  
• [00:35:00] – Becoming a Deacon and Discovering a Second Vocation
  
  
  
• [00:40:58] – Living with Her Husband’s Alzheimer’s and Shifting Needs
  
  
  
• [00:48:55] – A Wish for the World: Be Kind to One Another
  
  
  

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In this wide-ranging episode, Marbree sits down with Bill, whose reflections span snow-filled childhoods in upstate New York, profound personal loss, an unexpected career path, and decades of devoted fatherhood. Bill opens up about losing his father and brother at a young age, the years he spent “sleepwalking” through early adulthood, and how falling in love with his wife and daughter brought him back to life. Along the way, he shares insights about leadership, dyslexia, mentorship, and the importance of being honest about what you truly want.

🎧 Key Moments in the Episode

• [[00:00:00] – A Snowy Childhood in Upstate New York
  
  
  
• [00:05:00] – Losing His Father at 16 and Becoming the Oldest Brother
  
  
  
• [00:16:43] – The Vietnam Draft Lottery and a Life-Changing Number
  
  
  
• [00:20:22] – An Unexpected Opportunity Launches a Career in IT
  
  
  
• [00:24:00] – Falling in Love and Becoming a Father Overnight
  
  
  
• [00:30:11] – Bonding and the Power of a Found Family
  
  
  
• [00:36:35] – Why Finding the Right Work Matters More Than Any Promotion
  
  
  
• [00:40:58] – The Small Gestures That Make a Mother’s Love Last

• [00:48:04] – Final Reflections
  
  

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