The Moth The Moment of Truth: The Moth Podcast
4 snips
Oct 17, 2025 
Tim Sommers, a former philosophy professor, opens up about his battle with alcoholism and the redemptive journey back to academia. Emma Becker shares a poignant coming-of-age tale centered on her pen-pal letters, sparking an unexpected revelation during a cruise. Kathleen Sheffer bravely recounts her near-death experience and the transformative heart-lung transplant that gave her a second chance at life. Together, these stories explore themes of recovery, love, and the profound moments that change us forever.
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From Addiction To Academic Second Chances
- Tim Sommers recounts quitting a 25-year alcohol addiction after reconnecting with a former partner, Stacy, who became his reason to change.
- He pursued reopening his academic career, facing rejection from Brown then accepting an offer from the University of Iowa as a genuine fresh start.
You Can't Reclaim A Lost Past
- Tim realizes wanting to return to Brown was an attempt to reclaim a lost past rather than create a new life.
- Accepting Iowa felt like a real fresh start because it avoided trying to erase the previous 25 years.
A Cruise Lie That Revealed Hidden Love
- Emma Becker tells of lying to an elderly stranger on a cruise, saying she was writing a love letter when she was writing to a friend, Vivian.
- That lie prompted Vivian to call their correspondence a love letter, helping Emma recognize an unacknowledged affection in their teenage letters.
