In a letter to Ingmar Bergman on his seventieth birthday, the acclaimed Japanese director Akira Kurosawa wrote:

“A human is born a baby, becomes a boy, goes through youth, the prime of life and finally returns to being a baby before he closes his life.

This is, in my opinion, the most ideal way of life. I believe you would agree that a human becomes capable of producing pure works, without any restrictions, in the days of his second babyhood.”

On this episode, enjoy stories and songs that highlight our first and second “babyhoods." Stories and songs  included in this episode: 

Assorted Stories Recorded at the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival (1:41-11:02)

What better place for the old and young to converge than the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival? At a recent festival, the Apple Seed team gathered stories on site about everythin from sneaking gummy vitamins to cooking at scout camps to grandparents and grandchildren learning sign language together. Thank you to Amara, Brian, Chuck, and Terri for sharing your stories with us! To learn more about the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival visit  timpfest.org

THe Old King and His Daughters (11:34)

Joel ben Izzy has been telling stories all his life, beginning his professional career in 1983. Since then, his job has taken him all around the world where he has collected many stories to add to his collection. In additional to his geographical tales, his stories have carried audiences of allages to all different times and places. This story is a timeless tale about the wisdom of youth meeting with the wisdom of old age. To learn more about Joel ben Izzy's work visit storypage.com

Grownups are Strange (17:11), It's Better Than That (21:14)

These two songs from the acclaimed Bill Harley show two unique ways at looking at adulthood. There are some things that get better with age and people are at the top of the list. However, people also get pretty strange as they grow up, too! To learn more about Bill Harley's work visit www.billharley.com

The Old Folks' Home (24:28)

Adam Booth's storytelling blends traditional folklore, music, and an awareness of contemporary Appalachia. His stories have been influenced by generations of diverse storytellers from West Virginia. As a a teller, educator, researcher and four-time winner of the West Virginia Liars' Contest he presents a unique blend of narratie, education, tradition, and music in all of his tales. To learn more about Adam Booth's work visit www.adam-booth.com

The Strongest Thing in the World (46:32)

Lyn Ford is a fourth-generation, nationally recognized, Affrilachian storyteller. As a teaching artist, mentor, Laughter Yoga Teacher, and happy mama, grandmama and great-grandmama, Lyn understands what happens when new and old generations learn from each other. To learn more about Lyn Ford's work visit www.storytellerlynford.com