A story does not need an audience to be valuable.

A story does not have to be seen by the world to be valuable.

And yet, we can serve people by making stories visible that would otherwise stay unseen.

Something that has been on my mind for a long time is the idea of sharing stories from people who never got the chance to tell them to the world themselves.

Because often, these are the exact stories that could help us as a society. That connect us with each other again. That do us all good to hear — just as it can do someone good to be allowed to tell their own story.

Sharing stories creates community. And we could definitely use more of that.

For years, I have felt the need to bring younger and older generations closer together again. Because we can learn so much from each other.

People often judged me for wanting to make "supporting people" my job. After all, they said I did not have much life experience myself yet.

Today, some of the people who come to me for support belong to these exact generations — while I learn an incredible amount from them at the same time.

And sometimes, I sit in a conversation and tears roll down my face.

For example, when a 60-year-old man whose heart is completely in the right place tells me:

"We printed labels for wine bottles. Then, because of the war, the winemakers could not get bottles anymore and could not sell any wine.

Then we just sat there with nothing to do. None of us had ever experienced anything like that.

One of us had to leave. And because I was the last one who joined, I said I would be the first one to go."

Or when a young woman who works in care tells me how she stayed with a patient right before her death. What the doctor told her to do. How sad the situation made her feel. And that this patient later appeared in her dream to say goodbye.

Yes.

Then I sit on the call and cry.

And after that, I pray.

Because so often, I see people who try to do the right thing — in a world where what is right sometimes seems wrong, and what is wrong seems right.

And I believe these stories should be told.

Not because a person needs to be seen before their life has meaning.

Not because public attention gives a story its value.

But because some stories remind us of what was already valuable all along.

I still do not have the right spark and the right support to know how to start and fund this.

I think I would like to visit these people at home. Set up a small podcast kit there, sit down with them, and simply listen. As personal and real as possible.

I know there are many ways to do something like this. But I am still waiting for the “GO” from above.

If you have any ideas, feel free to share them with me.

Maybe one of you has the exact missing piece that I still need right now. :)

With love, Lena