Would You Look Away? A Family’s Attempt to Escape Nazi Germany & the Cost of Being a Bystander with Ruth Stitt
Notes from the EdgeShow Notes
Would you look away?Ruth E. Stitt is an author and licensed counselor whose family’s preserved letters from Nazi Germany reveal how persecution can unfold gradually, how difficult escape can become, and what happens when ordinary people decide whether to remain bystanders or stand up.In 1938, Ruth’s grandmother in Bridgeport, Connecticut received a letter from relatives in Berlin desperately searching for a way out of Nazi Germany. What followed was five years of correspondence filled with hope, fear, bureaucracy, attempted immigration, love and devastating loss.In this conversation, Ruth and Lisa go beyond the question, “Why didn’t they just leave?” They explore the financial, legal, political and emotional barriers Jewish families faced while trying to escape, the psychology of denial as danger slowly becomes normalized, and what fear and grief do to human beings under extraordinary pressure. They also talk about the choice that can remain when nearly everything else has been taken away: how we respond, who we love and whether we are willing to speak when someone else is being dehumanized. In this episode:• Holocaust history and life inside Nazi Germany• Jewish refugee immigration and the barriers to escape• Family letters documenting persecution as it unfolded• Denial, fear, grief and psychological survival• Why “Why didn’t they just leave?” misses the complexity of displacement• Choosing love when control has been stripped away• Turning documented family history into historical fiction• The difference between a bystander and an upstander• Moral courage, dehumanization and the responsibility to speak• Letting go of perfection, overachievement and the need to always have the answerContent note: This conversation includes discussion of the Holocaust, persecution, forced displacement, psychological trauma and profound loss. Connect with Ruth E. Stitt:https://scripturecomesto.lifeFind Ruth’s books on Amazon by searching Ruth E. Stitt. Connect with Lisa Lacy:https://lisalacy.comWhat did you perform in order to survive?Welcome to the Edge.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
More from Notes from the Edge
What happens when you achieve everything you thought you wanted, only to discover it isn’t the life you were meant to live? Lisa Lacy sits down with Steve Farrell, Silicon Valley entrepreneur, bestselling author, and co-founder of Humanity’s Team, to explore the journey from extraordinary financial success to spiritual awakening, conscious living, and discovering what truly makes life meaningful.From releasing fear and quieting the constant noise of achievement to recognizing our interconnectedness, Steve shares the personal experiences that transformed his understanding of success. Through a powerful live exercise, reflections on his book The Inner Way, and a heartbreaking story about his sister, this conversation explores what happens when we stop performing for the life we were handed and begin living the one that feels authentically ours.In this episode, we explore:Success Without Fulfillment: Why Steve’s multimillion-dollar Silicon Valley success felt like a temporary sugar high and led him toward a different definition of purpose. Conscious Living and Connection: A guided breathing and awareness exercise exploring how the beliefs “I am alone” and “I belong to something larger” can feel different in the body. Moving Beyond Fear: Why creating stillness, listening to your inner voice, and questioning the path others chose for you can open new possibilities. The Ripple Effect of Authenticity: How presence, compassion, conscious leadership, and everyday interactions can influence our relationships and communities. The Roles We Perform to Survive: Steve’s emotional story about losing his sister, the wake-up call that changed his priorities, and his invitation to live as your authentic self.
What if being seen isn’t the same as being known? In a world obsessed with personal branding, social media visibility, artificial intelligence, and polished public images, authenticity may be our greatest competitive advantage. Lisa Lacy sits down with Drew Gerber, CEO and co-founder of Wasabi Publicity, to explore why meaningful visibility begins with knowing who you are, not performing who you think the world wants you to be.From finding your purpose and building authentic relationships to breaking cycles of shame, control, and never feeling good enough, this conversation goes far beyond traditional public relations. Drew shares how self-awareness, accountability, mentorship, and human connection can transform the way we approach business, personal branding, and our relationships with ourselves.In this episode, we explore:Being Seen vs. Being Known: Why authentic personal branding and meaningful visibility begin with self-awareness. Purpose-Driven Public Relations: How understanding your why creates more aligned marketing strategies, stronger trust, and meaningful impact. AI and Human Connection: Why artificial intelligence, social media, and digital perfection are challenging us to rediscover what makes us human. Breaking the Shame and Control Cycles: How releasing perfectionism, embracing accountability, and trusting yourself create room for authenticity. Mentorship, Self-Worth, and Enoughness: Why the right support matters and how asking “What is enough?” can redefine success, happiness, and fulfillment.
What happens when you voluntarily seek help for addiction, trauma, and mental health challenges, only to be told your anger is beyond a rehabilitation center’s ability to handle? In this brutally honest and sometimes hilarious solo episode of Notes From the Edge, Lisa Lacy shares the story of getting kicked out of outpatient rehab at 40 years old after taking a therapeutic exercise called “The Bullshit Game” a little too seriously.Through personal storytelling, humor, and hard-earned perspective, Lisa explores the importance of trauma-informed care, emotional safety, accountability, and finding recovery resources that meet your individual needs. From outdated rehabilitation practices to the complicated relationship between anger and unresolved trauma, this conversation challenges the idea that recovery should look the same for everyone.In this episode, we explore:The infamous “Bullshit Game” and how a novelty button got Lisa kicked out of rehab. Why traditional addiction treatment and mental health programs don’t work for everyone. Understanding anger as a possible response to trauma, betrayal, and years of survival. The difference between genuine accountability, public humiliation, and trauma-informed recovery. How to find mental health resources, addiction treatment, and recovery support that fit your individual needs. Connect with Lisa | INSIDE THE EDGEhttps://lisalacy.com/inside-the-edgeWhat did you perform in order to survive?Welcome to the Edge.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
You can look successful, productive, and completely put together while quietly falling apart behind the scenes. In this Saturday Edge Note of Notes From the Edge, Lisa Lacy sits down with Dr. Lorea Martínez Pérez, emotional intelligence expert and author of Living with the HEART in Mind, to explore why high achievers often miss the warning signs of burnout until they’ve lost their joy, motivation, and connection to themselves.Together, they examine why pushing harder isn’t always the answer, how emotional intelligence helps us understand what our emotions are trying to tell us, and why boundaries, curiosity, and purpose matter more than temporary self-care fixes. This is a conversation about letting go of the performance of being fine, learning to include yourself in the circle of care, and finding your way beyond survival mode.In This Episode:Why burnout builds quietly and how losing joy can be an early warning sign. How high achievers become disconnected from their emotions while meeting everyone else’s needs. Why emotional intelligence is a learnable skill that transforms relationships, leadership, and well-being. How to establish emotional boundaries without guilt, including the power of saying “maybe later.” Why slowing down, naming your emotions, and embracing curiosity can help you rediscover purpose.
What if the very thing you spent your life trying to hide was actually one of your greatest strengths?Coach Willie Blake, entrepreneur, speaker, podcast host, and high-performance coach, joins Lisa Lacy for an honest conversation about growing up with dyslexia, feeling broken in a world designed for different minds, and discovering that self-acceptance can change everything.From struggling with self-worth to embracing neurodivergence and building confidence through small, intentional actions, Willie shares the lessons that helped him stop merely surviving and start leading with his differences.In this episode:The emotional impact of dyslexia on childhood, relationships, identity, and self-worth Reframing neurodivergence from a perceived limitation into a source of creativity, empathy, and strength Overcoming self-doubt, people-pleasing, and the pressure to fit someone else’s definition of normal Willie’s 2% Rule and GPS Goal Method for creating momentum through manageable, consistent action Letting go of the need to be everyone’s hero, accepting our imperfections, and learning that even the strongest people need support