You know that feeling of extraordinary realization? One morning a few weeks ago, while I was on vacation, it hit me.

“No way!” I thought. Oh. My. Word. 

Let me draw for you some of the surprising connections between Heleine Kaha, who shared part of her story in the last two episodes, and Gretchen Beck. I didn’t see these gorgeous similarities until that morning.

These two conversations are separated by a gulf of about 6 months, with Gretchen’s recorded in May of last year, and Heleine’s in December. My conversation with Gretchen took place before I had even met Heleine. In August, when we decided on the episode order for this first season and Gretchen’s story followed Heleine’s, there the connections were, staring me right in the face.

How can such different women, who have had such different life experiences, so passionately share the same spirit?

It’s such a gift to be able to witness the common threads between my two wonderful friends.

I think that it’s at least partly why this podcast is such important work - to showcase the life threads that exist between people whose stories are so different. We ARE different; yet, we ARE the same. I didn’t put these stories together because I saw the connections. It’s just that when the stories stood side by side, I saw their elements of sameness. And it was nothing short of a gift.

And maybe that happens more than we think, if we are willing to keep our eyes open, stay on the lookout…

I mean - I knew that both of these women spoke French. Both are in groups (not the same one) that speak and celebrate French.

But, oh my goodness, the deeper connections took me by surprise. They are so beautiful.

Heleine grew up in Cameroon.

Gretchen has ties to West Africa, too, that have shaped her deeply. She lived in Niger, just north of Cameroon from 1992 to 1995, when she was in the Peace Corps. She came to love the Nigerien people. As you’ll hear in her story, this experience profoundly changed her and shaped the future of her work as an artist.

Remember how important, how impactful color is in Heleine’s life? Heleine wears the same colors that Gretchen uses in her art.

The bold, moving, living, vibrant, shocking colors and combinations of color that reflect and express Heleine’s spirit of life and joy - those are the same ones that reflect and express Gretchen’s connection and soulful nterpretation of the Nigerien people, their landscape, and their life. 

I could not believe it. What an intersection! I had no hand in making those connections happen.

I did not do that on purpose. I do, however, get to observe that it has happened.

I’m still smiling at the gift :)

Link to Gretchen’s Artist Site

Gretchen Herself <3