Searching For Heroes With Benjamin Hall

Although not everyone experiences trauma that drives significant change, many people undergo transformations and choose to redirect their lives for a new purpose. Ben describes the courage it takes to go through a rebirth and how inspiring these stories are to people who desire a new lease on life. 

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Marina examines the nature of forgiveness, providing examples of individuals who have experienced tragedies and how they've navigated their trauma. She also dissects whether religion plays a significant role in forgiveness and whether it helps an individual move forward with their life. 

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On December 14, 2012, Scarlett Lewis experienced a life-altering pain when she, along with the world, discovered that her 6-year-old son Jesse, 19 of his classmates, and 6 educators had been killed in a school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary school. 

The morning of his murder, Jesse left three words, "Norturing Helinn Love" behind on the kitchen chalkboard, as a permanent reminder of his incredible and pure life. These three words would become the catalyst for Scarlett establishing the Choose Love Movement, a reminder that at the root of forgiveness and understanding is nurturing, healing, and love.  Jesse's life is a profound reminder of how forgiveness goes beyond letting go of pain and anger, but instead choosing to understand, in order to let go.  

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Does our society require us to forgive? 

Author of "You Don't Need To Forgive," Amanda Ann Gregory, ponders whether it is a dire necessity. 

As a trauma survivor, Amanda understands what it is like to struggle with the idea of forgiveness, and now as a licensed trauma psychotherapist, she helps others conquer the subject. She describes the importance of feeling all the emotions following a trauma, and explores the belief that forgiveness is not always the solution to healing emotional trauma.

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"There are victims at both ends of the gun," was Azim Khamisa's response when asked how he was able to forgive and build a relationship with his son's killer.

After the gang-related murder of his son Tariq in 1995, Azim grappled with the concept of forgiveness, leaning on his faith and family to help him heal. He shares his story of forgiveness and the steps he believes people can follow on their personal journeys of healing. Later, he reflects on the remarkable work of the Tariq Khamisa Foundation to reduce youth violence across the country.

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As Benjamin closes out the theme of solitude, he introduces the next theme: forgiveness.Does forgiveness benefit society better than the victim? If it doesn't erase pain, does it restore what has been lost?

Does forgiveness come from the pressure to be noble? 

Over the next few weeks Benjamin will have deep conversations to uncover the answers to these questions, while also exploring his own thoughts and feelings on both the presence and absence of forgiveness.

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Solitude Chapter 4: Is spending time alone the answer to redirecting our attention?

As Benjamin concludes this chapter on solitude he's joined by the author of The Point of Vanishing, Howard Axelrod.After suffering a traumatic eye injury, that left him blind in one eye, Howard felt disconnected from the world around him. His solution for reconnection was to pack his bags and move to the woods of northern Vermont for two years and live in complete isolation. 

Howard shares how he discovered the beauty in solitude and discusses what it was like to reconnect with himself.

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Solitude Chapter Three:

Ben and Principal Investigator of The Solitude Lab, Dr. Thuy-Vy Nguyen, explores the misconception that solitude is the absence of connection, as opposed to the positive presence of self.

Dr. Nguyen provides insight on how intention is a moderator between solitude and loneliness, understanding the difference between choosing to be alone vs. being in a state of isolation.

Later, they discuss how our time alone can be the answer to some of life's toughest questions.

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Solitude Chapter 2: Imagine spending 76 days alone in a life raft, facing sharks, raft punctures, starvation, severe dehydration, and relentless sun.

After Steven Callahan's boat was struck during a storm in the middle of the ocean, that's exactly the situation he found himself in. Armed with only a short spear gun, a solar still to desalinate seawater, and a safety manual, Steven faced a host of physical challenges while lost at sea. However, the mental and spiritual obstacles he endured while being completely alone with no land in sight were just as daunting.

Steven joins Ben to share how he survived roughly two and a half months at sea and explains how he found a complex beauty and meaning in his fight to survive while in the depths of solitude. He also explores the phenomenon of “psychological splitting”—the moment when fear and action collide in life-or-death situations—and shares the emotional moment he realized rescue had finally come.

Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC

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Imagine being dropped at the edge of Antarctica, the launch point for a 570-mile ski expedition to the bottom of the world. That’s where Chris Fagan and her husband Marti found themselves in 2013, beginning a grueling, 48-day, unguided journey to the South Pole—one that would ultimately earn them a Guinness World Record. Along the way, they faced periods of profound silence: on good days, a serene connection with nature; on bad days, an overwhelming sense of isolation.

Chris joins Ben to unpack the paradox of solace and loneliness in an extreme environment like Antarctica, the mental and physical toll of the trek, and how the journey inspired her to write her award-winning book, "The Expedition".

Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC

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