There are fewer people in this world more epic than my mom,Lucy. She’s still very much with us, but not able to sit down for an interview. So instead, I get to share her story in another way.

A few years ago, my sister, brother, dad and I pooled our money to buy her a MacBook. And right away, she opened it up and began writing her life story. That felt so true to who she is - curious, reflective, and deeply committed to remembering where she came from.

So in this episode, I’ll be reading excerpts from her story. Think of it as a living archive, a way of bringing her voice, her wisdom, and her memories into this space with us. Along the way, I’ll introduce you to the main characters: her sister Emily, her parents, and the world she grew up in.

Lucy was born during World War II, while her parents weresupporting the war effort in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. We’ll begin in 1948, when the family used the money they had earned during the war to purchase a farm.That farm would become the backdrop for so much of her early life - the setting where joy, hardship, and resilience took root.

This is the beginning of Lucy’s story. And maybe, as we go,it will become a thread running through other episodes too. Because the story of one life, especially one lived with courage and devotion, has the power to shape all of ours.