Today I’m joined by my brother-in-law Cameron Reed and fellow therapist Gabe Cortez to explore fiction through the lens of psychology and spirituality.

We’re planning a series of conversations on Religion & Fiction in which we look at literary short stories and make the case for why fiction matters—not as escapism, but as an essential way of understanding ourselves, building empathy, and accessing truths that nonfiction simply can't reach.

We start by discussing the benefits of fiction broadly and how stories allow us to experience and reflect on life. We get into how reading fiction has shaped our understanding of everything from sibling relationships to spiritual experience, as well as Jesus’ preference for parables over doctrine.

To set the scene for today’s short story, I share an embarrassing college-era memory of coming home to lecture my mom about selling her jewelry after reading Howard Zinn, and Cam and Gabe confess their own pretentious homecoming moments as well.

Then we turn to Alice Walker's brilliant 1973 short story "Everyday Use," dissecting a family drama about quilts, heritage, and what it truly means to revere the sacred objects of our past—a story that hits differently when you've been the know-it-all child returning home with new ideas about God, justice, and the world.

In the Patron-only second portion of the episode, we apply these ideas directly to Walker's story, exploring themes of incarnational theology, appropriation versus appreciation, and the quiet transformation of the story's most overlooked character.

Free Copy of the Short Story | Everyday Use by Alice Walker

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