As April has brought our country the escalation of conflict in our national and international dialogues, I wonder where the language of diplomacy has gone, and why mature, wise voices so rarely have air time in our media coverage.  Yesterday, as I was driving in my car, I heard a story so riveting I could not bring myself to turn off the radio once I’d reached my destination.  I had to hear this story to the end.  In this extraordinary podcast, a black musician, the jazz artist, Daryl Davis, tells the story of meeting a member of the Ku Klux Klan.  NPR aired his story on Easter Sunday but it was originally recorded earlier. In this story, Davis’s masterful storytelling teaches all of us what unexpected results can start with a simple, sincere conversation, a shared drink, a willingness to simply talk about something that completely opposed people might have in common.

Resist the urge to read NPR’s transcript, and instead, click the blue arrow to listen.  You don’t want to miss Daryl Davis’s voice which expresses humor, artful suspense, brilliant storytelling and above all, his wisdom. You will not be disappointed. I am blogging about this story because I think it is “what the world needs now.”  Follow this link to hear the podcast: NPR: The Silver Dollar Lounge