Drawn to this stuff like "a moth" to a flame

As I was pulling into my driveway yesterday, a piece on NPR completely drew me in. A young Somalian woman named Fathia Absie was describing her experience coming to the States as a 14-year-old refugee, how she later sponsored her ten siblings and her parents so that they could also immigrate, and how her teenage sister later faced the threat of deportation. There was an allure to Fathia's accent, the thickness of her voice, the suspense in her story, and I was utterly enchanted. I sat in my car in my driveway listening intently, enjoying the private space to giggle aloud at times and feel my eyes glisten at others until this endearing piece was over. I learned that Fathia was able to share her story in front of a live audience after recording a pitch on www.themoth.org. The Moth is an online forum for real people to tell real stories (you'll find a link to Fathia's story below). I leaped out of my car and made a beeline for my computer once I got inside. I was totally enthralled by this whole story-telling business, and I had to have more.

For hours and hours, I sat magnetized to the front of my computer screen. These storytellers had experienced so much heartache, joy, loss, achievement, bizarreness--it must have been cathartic for some of them to share their lives with others, but I was mostly struck by how touched I felt. The courage I heard in many of the pieces really moved and fascinated me.

Here are some of my favorites. I hope you enjoy and feel inspired by them as much as I did. Warning: you might want to grab a box of tissues before clicking on these links...

Cindy Chupack's Story
Till death or homosexuality do us part--a looming 30 year mortgage proves to be the straw that breaks the camels back.
http://www.youtube.com/user/mothstories#p/u/38/mY885mXK6jk

Mike DeStefano's Story
Mike died of a heart attack on March 6, 2011. We first met Mike at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado, where he told one of the most searingly beautiful stories ever told at the Moth. It was a comedy festival, but he had everyone in the audience weeping. We mourn Mike and the stories we won't get to hear, and send our best to his family and friends. Here is footage from that night.
http://www.youtube.com/user/mothstories#p/u/32/N-i5ADmdO4E

Charlene Strong's Story
Charlene Strong is a Human Rights Commissioner and advocate for equality. Her story and fight for family rights were critical in helping to pass landmark domestic partnership legislation in Washington state. Charlene is the subject of the award winning documentary, "For My Wife...," chronicling the making of an activist.
http://www.youtube.com/user/mothstories#p/u/6/6QRv9xy0aUg

Fathia Absie's Story (Segment 2)
http://www.prx.org/pieces/60360-the-moth-radio-hour-402/floating_piece