StoryCorps at SHC: Emily Linderman and Sarah Murphy-Kangas

Sarah Murphy-Kangas (SMK): People ask me all the time, how did you and Emily meet? And I always joke that we set up a lunch date, and we actually kept it.

Emily Linderman (EL): Yeah.

SMK: People say, Oh, it's so nice to meet you, I really enjoyed our conversation. And the subtext is, let's try to never see each other again.

EL: This was nice, let's let it be enough.

SMK: And I think we just had a moment of like, connecting about how amazing it is to be on this planet.

EL: Talking about real things. I remember, we talked about religion and spirituality and poetry and nothing was off limits. Yeah, that's what it felt like.

SMK: Yeah. I think one of the things that I appreciate about our friendship is that you've helped me have a much wider range of normal in at least two ways, one, the depth to which you think about life, and spirituality and the big questions of life, and also the way you take care of the people in your life. Like when you've stayed at my house, and you leave, and I find your little notes for me, everywhere. You've done so many things like that, over the years,

EL: Means a lot coming from you. For so many of the same reasons, I have no doubt that you're a gift wherever you show up, and that you have such an incredible superpower of insight and empathy. And you're married to a firefighter and a paramedic now, but I think you are a firefighter at heart, when it comes to showing up when people are really in pain. I remember that your friend that died after such a short period of time after being diagnosed and you taking that little angel sculpture to her and she couldn't see you anymore. And you placed it in her hand and wrapped her hands around it. Then you sang to her that love is everywhere and love watches over you. Everyone in your sphere, your family, your friends with strangers. I mean, no one is exempt from that love. And I've been the recipient of in at times when I've called you and I haven't even had to ask and I don't have words how much that means to me.

SMK: Thank you. I sometimes have that fear that. You know, I have wear this ring that has an open heart on it. Because I'm I'm good with the gut energy and I sometimes think I'm not so good with the heart energy and your stories tell me otherwise and your support and love for me has been completely unwavering through every season. Thank you. I love you.

EL: I love you too.

Produced by Stanford Health Care with interviews recorded in collaboration with StoryCorps, a national nonprofit whose mission is to preserve and share humanity's stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world www.storycorps.org

Sound Editor: Carolina Correa

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