The exploration of unconditional love serves as the central theme of our discussion today, delving into the profound complexities that surround this elusive concept. Love, as we unravel it, transcends mere sentiment; it embodies a continuum of actions and intentions that reflect our deepest human connections. Throughout this episode, I recount the transformative journey undertaken by our guest, Kim Sorrell, who dedicated a year of her life to understanding love in its myriad forms following personal tragedies that compelled her to question its true essence. Through her experiences, including profound realizations during her time in Haiti, Kim illustrates how love is not merely a feeling but a deliberate practice that encompasses patience, kindness, and understanding. As we engage in this dialogue, we invite our listeners to reflect on their own perceptions of love and the ways in which they can cultivate a more profound, unconditioned love in their lives.

What is unconditional love?

The meaning of love has been debated throughout time. Today I am joined by Kim Sorrelle, and she helps us take a deep dive into all things love. After the loss of her husband, Kim sought to find the meaning behind the common phrases we hear and learn about love. What she found is that love is an action; it is a choice, and you can choose to see all humans and life situations with the golden rays of love. Kim believes that if we all lived with a real understanding of love the world would be a much different place. Join Heather and Kim as they share ways to view the world and people with love.

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

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At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ+ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and foster courageous, compassionate connection.

If you’re in the thick of parenting, allyship, or pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action.

Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in—I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey.

 

About our guest:

Kim Sorrelle is a writer, speaker, entrepreneur, director of a humanitarian organization, activist, mother, grandmother, lover of all people, and black licorice.

​​Kim is the director of Rays of Hope International, a partnering organization working with people in their own country who have a passion, a vision, and a mission to help people in their own country and just need someone to walk alongside. Through business plans, fundraising, sustainability planning, supplies, building, and Working in countries like Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Burkina Faso, Rays of Hope has enjoyed relationships with hundreds of organizations that are working hard to help the underserved and vulnerable populations.

​​In 2009, while battling breast cancer, Kim's love, Steve, received a pancreatic cancer diagnosis. After six great weeks together, Kim held Steve as he took his last breath. Her first book, Cry Until You Laugh, chronicles that journey through laughter and tears and laughter again.

​The back-to-back cancer diagnosis led her youngest son, Noah, to change his trajectory and earn a Ph.D. as a cancer researcher. With a focus on breast cancer, Noah has made significant discoveries that have already helped with other research and continue to move the needle on the survivor rate.

​Kim's second book, Love Is, came from a desire to know the true meaning of love. Love Is, chronicles her year-long quest to discover the true meaning of love, a sometimes funny, sometimes scary, always enlightening journey that led to life-changing discoveries found mostly on the streets of Haiti.

Today, Kim lives in her hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, a regular radio, television, and podcast guest, Kim speaks to audiences all over the world. Inspirational and educational, Kim entertains CEOs, industry leaders, company staff members, educators, parents, women's groups, and more.

With first-hand experience, Kim also speaks for The American Cancer Society and Susan G. Koman. 

​A coach is always a coach and Kim is no different. Working with individuals and teams, Kim helps people succeed not only in business and family life but in every aspect of life, leading to greater fulfillment and happiness while teaching the secrets to working less and playing more.

How to connect with Kim:

https://www.kimsorrelle.com/team-4

Takeaways:

• The definition of love is subjective and has been explored through various artistic expressions over the ages.
• Unconditional love transcends mere emotional attachment and is characterized by selfless acceptance of others.
• It is essential to understand that love is not a transactional exchange but an intrinsic quality one embodies.
• The word 'queer' possesses a multifaceted history, evolving from a slur to a reclaimed identity in the LGBTQIA community.

More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive space where a mom and mental health advocate offers guidance on parenting with empathy, inclusion, love, and open-minded allyship, fostering growth, healing, connection, and empowerment within the LGBTQ community while addressing grief, boundaries, education, diversity, human rights, social justice, and the power of human kindness through a lens of ally support and community engagement.

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