Books, essays, podcast episodes, and more that I think are worth your time, plus recent cultural news that I’m paying attention to in the month of June…

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Podcast Episodes

Conversing Podcast: Kinship and Gang Life, with Gregory Boyle

I could listen to Greg Boyle remind me of God’s tender compassion for each and every one of us all day long.

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The Daily: Want to ‘Optimize’ Your Happiness? This Happiness Expert Says: Don’t.

As I referenced above, I loved Laurie Santos’ interview about happiness and being reminded of the difference between hedonic (personal pleasure) and eudaimonic (broader pursuit of “the good life” or holistic flourishing) happiness. I was fascinated to hear that, in general, the people who work to change structural problems are happy, not depressed. In other words, happiness leads us to care for others and seek to solve social problems, not become more self-obsessed or complacent about our social position.

Shows + Films

BritBox Drama: Blue Lights

Peter and I have been watching this crime drama set in Northern Ireland for a few months now. I’ve enjoyed it all along—the characters are interesting, the acting is great, and I’m curious about what’s going to happen next. But it wasn’t until the final episode of season two that I decided to recommend it to you all. I wasn’t sure if this was just an interesting, entertaining crime drama or if something else was going on. The season concludes with a meditation on justice, forgiveness, community, and—no surprise given the name of one of the main characters—grace.

Current Events

Current Stats About Down Syndrome

My friend Stephanie Meredith, DrPH, MA, is the Development Director at the Genetic Support Foundation (GSF). I want to share her post with you, in which she counters the misinformation in Jesse Ridgway’s post.

Essays

Substack: She was afraid. So was I.

I also really appreciated Sarah Thomas Baldwin’s reflections on her own journey through the “goodhard” experience raising a child with Down syndrome

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Amy Julia Becker desires to challenge assumptions about the good life, proclaim the inherent belovedness of every human being, and help us envision and build a world of belonging where everyone matters. Amy Julia invites people to reimagine the good life through her writing and speaking on disability, faith, and culture. She is the author of several books, including To Be Made Well, White Picket Fences, Small Talk, and A Good and Perfect Gift. She is a guest opinion writer for national publications and hosts two podcasts: Take the Next Step and Reimagining the Good Life. Becker is a graduate of Princeton University and Princeton Theological Seminary (MDiv). She is a member of the Disability Ministry Network and the Alliance for Disability Justice and Ethics in Reproductive Genetics. She lives with her husband and their three children in western Connecticut.