Letting Go Part 2

Tell Us Something

Four storytellers share their true personal story on the theme “Letting Go”. Their stories were recorded live in-person in front of over 900 listeners on September 27, 2022 at The Dennison in Missoula, MT.

Our first story comes to us from Kate Wilburn. Kate loves wood and woodworking. She learned the craft of timber framing 40 years ago, collected materials for a timber frame house, hauled them around for 30 years, and is now ready to let them go. Kate calls her story “Dovetail: A Love Story”.

Kate Wilburn cherishes wild land and is keenly aware of legacy across generations. Her life’s terrain is diverse: from engineering and carpentry to single parenting, permaculture design and teaching. She’s found in Missoula a place to show the beauty and practicality of living simply, of creating an urban yard that is a vibrant ecosystem of perennial food for people, birds, bees and other wild things all at the same time. She seeks green wildness and a neighborhood like a village, even in the city! Kate continues, “In her late 20’s, Kate turned away from the corporate-career-hearth of her time to “Renaissance engineering”– problem-solving grounded on the land– demonstrating and seeking sustainable human life & livelihood.

Parenting in her 40’s made personal her inquiry: how to come through to a kinder & sweeter future than the one we seem aimed for? Teaching middle school then too, Kate saw how physical examples with hands-on learning make the most impact.

Kate arrived in Missoula in 2022, keenly aware of legacy across generations. Kate is committed to standing as an elder deepening into service, alongside and behind all the younger ones. Kate endeavors to stand as an Earth-protector and as a settler-ally to her Indigenous neighbors.

Kate wants regenerative community for each of us. Kate aims to embody simplicity, sustainability and the safeguarding of precious resources. Kate teaches, paints, writes & remains in inquiry. Kate advocates for political & cultural leaders, energy policies and technologies that support social equity, the health of the planet, all species, and future generations. You can find Kate on Instagram.

Working 3rd shift at a late-night copy shop, Marc Moss met all kinds of people. He generally made a connection with most of them, until a regular customer, very grumpy, presented a challenge for him. Marc Calls his story “3rd Shift”.

Marc Moss and Ruby – Face Copy at 3AM

Marc Moss the Executive Director of the non-profit organization Tell Us Something. He recently hosted a Tell Us Something event at Burning Man, where he’s literally walked through fire with his life-partner Joyce. They live together on Missoula’s historic Northside with their perpetual kitten Ziggy.

In our next story, Amy McAllister’s dad dies 2 weeks after her mother dies. Amy visits his body in the funeral home and the funeral director assures her that the body he has prepared for her is indeed her father’s in a story that we call, “That’s Not My Dad!”

Bill McAllister – photo courtesy of Amy McAllister

Amy McAllister comes from a strong and loving family and has lived in Missoula for 45 years. Amy loves the variety of events offered in Missoula. She was a schoolteacher for 32 years.

Bringing us home in this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast, Rachel Goo-en, on a trip to New York City with her family and some of their international friends, visits a fancy ballet at The Met after eating pizza.

Rachel calls her story “When Letting Go Stops the Show”.

Rachel Gooen hails from the gorgeous lush state of NJ in a county where there were more cows than people. This is perhaps why it took her so long to learn the art of being cultured. She’s lived in Missoula for 25 years and loves playing in the mountains and rivers of Montana with her partner Jeremy and their pups, along with all of her dear friends in Missoula. She socializes for a living, because she is a “social” worker. You can find Rachel on Instagram.