The Moth Radio Hour: "Starting Over"

Date: January 13, 2026
Theme: Stories of Second Chances, Do-Overs, and Redemption

Episode Overview

This episode of The Moth Radio Hour explores the universal theme of starting over, featuring true, personal stories told live on stage by individuals who faced setbacks, fresh starts, and moments of redemption. Each storyteller navigates the intertwined paths of failure and resilience, demonstrating the power of vulnerability and change. From reinvention after bankruptcy to reconciling with loved ones after mental illness, these narratives offer humor, hope, heartbreak, and insight.

Key Stories & Insights

1. Leah Baruch: Reinventing Herself After Bankruptcy

[03:40 – 09:31]

• Setting the Scene: In 2006, at 26, Leah faces bankruptcy. Her car is repossessed, belongings sold, and she feels like she’s failed at adulthood.
• Fresh Start: Inspired by “Grey’s Anatomy,” Leah decides to become a doctor—a grand reinvention for a former theatre major.
• Hurdles: Without student loans, she enrolls at Evergreen State, a non-traditional, non-graded (and affordable) college.
• Literal & Figurative Fall: After being dumped by her boyfriend during a hike, Leah tries to prove herself by climbing a slippery rock, only to break her ankle and further derail her plan.
• Resilient Humor: “So I thought about it, and I concluded the new me should be a doctor, which felt like the opposite of a moron.” — Leah Baruch [03:54]
• Perseverance & Growth: Leah draws inspiration from the duality of “Grey’s Anatomy’s” Meredith Grey, deciding: “Maybe I too can be both a moron and a doctor, because women contain multitudes, right?” [07:44]
• Metaphor & Medical Success: She learns that, like broken bones, from personal disaster can come regeneration, and eventually does succeed in medical school.

Notable Quote:
“That's the thing about bones... when they break, there's all this great stuff inside that gets to come out and shine. ... Given enough time, [new bone] will be strong enough to bear your weight. And that's some of the stuff the new me learned about bones in medical school.”
— Leah Baruch [08:50]

2. Ron Hart: Facing Fears as a "Disguised" Parent

[10:27 – 15:26]

• Reflection on Parenting: Ron shares how parenthood still feels like a disguise—he’s winging it, wanting his daughters to inherit “fresh garbage” rather than his own anxieties.
• Overcoming Childhood Fears: Terrified of museums as a kid, Ron tries to help his daughters avoid the same fear.
• Disastrous Dinosaur Show: During a trip to the museum, a man in a dinosaur costume terrifies both kids, leading to trauma and chaos.
• Redemption Attempt: On a preschool field trip, Ron tries again, but chaos repeats as the dinosaur show results in mass toddler panic.
• Grace in Imperfection: Ron accepts that, while he failed to prevent his daughter’s fear, he was present:
  “Daddy, thank you for taking me and being there with me at the bad place.” — Ron’s daughter [15:09]

Notable Quote:
“The apple did fall close to the tree, but at least I was there to catch her.”
— Ron Hart [15:17]

3. Tejal Cartwright: Rekindling Childhood Dreams of Stardom

[19:54 – 23:53]

• Early Passion for Theatre: Tejal always felt destined to be a star, shining in school and community plays.
• Setback: At 17, she is devastated after being cast as “Girl in the Park #8” instead of a leading role—her confidence plummets and she quits theatre.
• Comeback: Years later, inspired by her son’s birth, Tejal bravely returns to the stage, again cast in an ensemble role (“Girl in the Bar #4” in “Dreamgirls”).
• Determination and Joy: This time, Tejal decides to give it her all, embracing her role, learning everyone’s parts, and shining on stage.
• Triumphant Night: On closing night, she steals the show in a sparkling purple dress.
  “A man came up to me and said, I was all the way in the back... You were amazing. You shined, you dazzled. ... And all I could hear was my little self: Told you you were a star.” — Tejal Cartwright [23:36]

4. Devin Sandiford: Telling Tough Truths to His Son’s Kindergarten Class

[24:26 – 30:49]

• Difficult Decision: Asked by his 5-year-old son to share a painful childhood story involving race and exclusion, Devin initially hesitates.
• Hiding the Pain: When telling the story to a kindergarten class, Devin omits the racial element, making it simply about not being “chased” in a playground game.
• Child’s Honesty: A classmate innocently raises the real question Devin tried to avoid, prompting a raw exchange:
  “It’s because he's Black.” — A classmate [27:45]
• Learning Opportunity: Later, he opts for honesty, shares the full story with a broader group of students, and opens the floor to questions.
• Unexpected Connection: The children respond with empathy, sharing their own experiences of exclusion, forging powerful human connections.
• Takeaway:
  “If we are brave enough to share the hard parts of our stories, that we can be connected with people around us like we never have been before.”
  — Devin Sandiford [30:36]

5. Ethan Sweetland May: Failing and Finding Wins with Grandpa

[33:16 – 39:49]

• Childhood Excitement: As the youngest of eleven, Ethan’s day with his grandparents—picking sugary cereal and anticipating learning to shoot with his hero-grandpa—is a rare luxury.
• Expectation vs. Reality: The shooting lesson is a disaster; Ethan is literally knocked flat and mortified in front of Grandpa’s tough friends.
• Second Chance: Fishing later that day, Grandpa nonchalantly gives Ethan a chance to redeem himself—helping him land a giant blue catfish, immortalized in a Polaroid.
• Love in Action:
  “By this little moment of smiling, my grandpa helped me get a win.” — Ethan Sweetland May [39:48]
• Legacy: After Grandpa’s death, Ethan is left the very shotgun from that fateful day—a symbol of family, forgiveness, and second tries.

6. Bridget Flaherty: Healing and Reconnecting with Her Son After Mental Illness

[41:12 – 54:32]

• Struggle with Depression: Bridget’s life unravels through divorce, postpartum depression, and eventual hospitalization after suicidal ideation.
• Maternal Guilt: Upon returning home, she faces her son Ian’s deep anger and confusion, leading to difficult, raw conversations about her mental illness.
• Efforts to Reconnect: Despite setbacks and her own fragile recovery, Bridget takes Ian on a cross-country road trip, rediscovering connection and joy—briefly.
• Lasting Effects: Ian’s need for emotional distance returns, manifesting in anger and shame, but eventually shifts to understanding after an honest conversation about Bridget’s struggles.
• Powerful Realization:
  “When the truth of what might have been really sunk in, the truth now rested on his shoulders, he understood completely how close he came to losing his mother.” — Bridget Flaherty [53:40]
• Conclusion: Today, Bridget and Ian have a strong, healthy relationship—something she almost missed entirely.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | |-----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------| | 03:54 | “...the new me should be a doctor, which felt like the opposite of a moron.” | Leah Baruch | | 07:44 | “Maybe I too can be both a moron and a doctor because women contain multitudes, right?” | Leah Baruch | | 08:50 | “That's the thing about bones...when they break, there's all this great stuff inside that gets to come out and shine...” | Leah Baruch | | 15:17 | “The apple did fall close to the tree, but at least I was there to catch her.” | Ron Hart | | 23:36 | “All I could hear was my little self: Told you you were a star.” | Tejal Cartwright | | 27:45 | “It’s because he’s Black.” | Kindergarten classmate | | 30:36 | “If we are brave enough to share the hard parts of our stories, that we can be connected with the people around us like we never have been before.” | Devin Sandiford | | 39:48 | “By this little moment of smiling, my grandpa helped me get a win.” | Ethan Sweetland May | | 53:40 | “When the truth of what might have been really sunk in, the truth now rested on his shoulders, he understood completely how close he came to losing his mother.” | Bridget Flaherty |

Episode Structure & Timestamps

• [03:11] – Introduction: Jay Allison frames the hour’s theme of starting over
• [03:40] – Leah Baruch: Fresh starts after bankruptcy
• [10:27] – Ron Hart: Attempting to outdo inherited anxieties as a parent
• [19:54] – Tejal Cartwright: Returning to theatre after years away
• [24:26] – Devin Sandiford: Struggling and then embracing telling his whole story on race and exclusion
• [33:16] – Ethan Sweetland May: Failing (then winning) in the eyes of his grandpa
• [41:12] – Bridget Flaherty: Mother and son heal in the wake of mental illness

In the Words and Tone of the Storytellers

Laced with awkward humor and self-deprecation, the episode carries an undercurrent of hope and empathy. The stories are candid, often gritty, but ultimately life-affirming—proving that even after mistakes or moments of despair, there's a path to wholeness, to connection, and to something brand new.

Takeaways

• The journey to “starting over” is universal, messy, and often cyclical rather than linear.
• True resilience comes from vulnerability and persistence, even if the outcome isn’t what was originally planned.
• Connection—whether with children, parents, strangers, or oneself—thrives in spaces where honesty is allowed.
• Sometimes real redemption is simply showing up, sticking it out, and being willing to try again.

For more stories or to pitch your own, visit themoth.org.