My producer Nick admitted that after editing my episode with Claire Crawford, he needed to lie down. He also admitted it was one of his favorite episodes. Since then, I’ve had a few people tell me that this episode was one that especially stayed with them.
I’m not sure if it was the decision to go in “cold” to our interview–no pre-show prep call, no researching her before our conversation. Maybe it’s her naturally open and honest way of communicating. Perhaps it’s some magic combination of the two. But almost immediately after we started our conversation, the dialogue flowed naturally, and I learned so much, not just about the work she does, but her personal motivations for wanting to get involved in helping others in a hospital setting, which included her own series of hospitalizations for a cleft palate as a child.
One of the main conversation points I find myself reflecting on in the time since we spoke was Claire’s observation that oftentimes profound grief comes after experiencing profound love. This thoughtful perspective has helped me shift my own perspective about the grief I feel, and appreciate it in a way I hadn’t before.
If you’re interested in following along with what Claire’s doing, check her out on Twitter.