from the cutting room floor:

Talking to Chris Paul about his book made me think a lot about my own husband Craig Melvin and about how the book he wrote “Pops” about his father’s battle with alcoholism had changed him. When I watched Melvin go through that process, I realized how rare and how potentially impactful his dad Lawrence Melvin’s story really is. I still sometimes marvel and thank God that Pops story is one of the happy ones; with the unexpected ending of sobriety and a new commitment to family and being the man he wanted to be all those years but couldn’t.  I’ve often wondered how it was for Melvin having his father fully now. What is that like? So I asked Melvin to join me in one of his favorite places in the house – our basement booth -  to talk about the past couple years since he released HIS book about his father’s battle with alcoholism. We connected about the winding road of our careers (the good and the bad) and the lessons learned since “starting out” in the sports and news business while sharing a real and honest conversation about embracing recovery and sobriety as a family member.

Podcast show notes:

In this episode, Lindsay welcomes her husband, journalist and Today Show co-anchor Craig Melvin to the table to reflect on themes about family and overcoming adversity. The pair discuss themes brought up during Lindsay’s chat with NBA star Chris Paul. Melvin shares his own experience writing a deeply personal book about family and what it’s been like since “Pops”, a book about his father’s battle with addiction was released two years ago.

episode breakdown:

[00:01:27] The impact of positive and negative examples in shaping one's life choices.

[00:03:16] The sacrifice of living out a dream.

[00:07:23] Pressure and motivation.

[00:10:31] The motivation to serve.

[00:11:10] Finding the thing that drives you.

[00:16:56] Fascination with ordinary people who do extraordinary things.

[00:20:31] The gift of motivation.

[00:22:00] Reconnecting with a changed father.

[00:24:06] The power of legacy.

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