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NPR Turns 50: Listeners Share Life Advice

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

As you probably heard, NPR is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. And we've been hearing from listeners around the world, sharing their lessons learned in a half-century of life. And we've heard a lot about love.

RAY BARRINGTON: My name is Ray Barrington, and I am now 64 years old. My advice is to realize that at some point, you will find someone to love. It took me a while. I was 42 when I met my wife.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "AT LAST")

ETTA JAMES: (Singing) At last...

STEPHANIE BARRINGTON: My name is Stephanie, Stephanie Barrington.

R BARRINGTON: Well, I'm trying to remember which one of us contacted the other first.

S BARRINGTON: We met in the...

R BARRINGTON: Oh, yeah. We met in a chat room.

S BARRINGTON: (Laughter).

R BARRINGTON: There's a little joke here because it was...

S BARRINGTON: It's not a joke. It's just a funny story.

R BARRINGTON: It's just a funny story. It was actually a chat room...

S BARRINGTON: Related to...

R BARRINGTON: ...Dedicated to people who were into bondage. And we - neither one of us do that. They talked about almost everything but that. It was just a place where they could meet each other and know that they'd be able to talk to people who weren't going to judge them right away.

S BARRINGTON: And they were so respectful.

R BARRINGTON: And they were very respectful.

So we started exchanging emails and eventually talk on the phone. And I decided to go see her. And when I did, it was one look, and we both knew that was it.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "AT LAST")

JAMES: ...(Singing) The night I looked at you.

R BARRINGTON: One thing is for sure, her friends definitely said it would not last.

S BARRINGTON: Every last one of them told me it would never last, not even for a month. They told me it would not last.

R BARRINGTON: And we are now 21 years married.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "AT LAST")

JAMES: ...(Singing) Can call my own.

S BARRINGTON: I tell people that we hold hands as we go to sleep every night. We don't go to bed angry, you know? People say don't go to bed angry. We literally don't because that's what we do. We hold hands every night as we fall asleep.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "AT LAST")

JAMES: (Singing) I have never known. Oh, yeah, yeah, and you smile, you smile.

MARTIN: That was Ray and Stephanie Barrington in Menasha, Wis., sharing their life advice on love.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "AT LAST")

JAMES: (Singing) And here we are in heaven for you are mine at last. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.