All That Matters

When the world is upside down and deeply challenging, as it is right now, we do well to revisit the voices of those who impacted us for the better, if only to strengthen our resolve. Jan shares a personal encounter with one of the world's great maestro's and how the words of that artist have shaped him for the better to this day.

The Yiddish language shares much wit and wisdom, including how, in some ways, we are all connected: reminding us, "Di gantse velt iz eyn shtot." ( The whole world is one town.)" Jan shares some insights of a language once spoken by close to 13 million Jews before the HOLOCAUST, sayings from which we can still learn.

It can feel as if we're at the end of all light at a moment such as we're facing in public discourse, war, and a rise in antisemitism. Jan shares the meaning of faith in such a time and the powerful search for hope needed to meet the moment.

Now is not the time to shrink but to EXPAND. Jan shares a story from one of the lowest points of his life, an experience he had on a lake in Scotland that opened him to ways to meet the challenge of sadness and hurt all around him, a feeling he compares to events many of us are experiencing in the world right now.

Being in the midst of war, struggle, and a constant bombardment of hate, one's inner core and wellness is at serious risk. We must seek balance. Jan shares a true story of the Dalai Lama and a powerful lesson on how to do that every day.

In moments of darkness we must be the light. Jan shares a powerful poem by Megan Falley about how, in the shadows of horror and conflict, something seemingly small and insignificant can be a giver of life. The same can be said for words we choose to use this day.

In light of world events, beginning with the evil attacks on Israel by Hamas, people of all backgrounds are shaken. Many feel very alone. The human touch in reaching out with the simple question, "Are you ok?" is essential for sanity and ought to be a hallmark of our own humanity..

In the midst of war, we are bombarded with hate and misinformation that seeks to twist the humanity away from us, leaving us feeling pronounced loneliness. We need to hear something else, if only to balance ourselves. Jan shares the words of a poet who reminds him of an essential component to being human.

There are moments in our lives when we must be able to call evil out. When moral clarity is required in order to forge a world worthy of our ancestors and our children. Calling out barbarism for what it is must be part of that. Jan shares thoughts of recent terrorist attacks in Israel and shares a personal story where hope was formed between him and a Palestinian baker in Jerusalem as they dreamt...

Jan shares the way his mother saw sunsets and brings the crimson gift he has long chased to your ears once again this week.

Sometimes getting to a YES in Life is finding the right question to ask. Jan shares rules he discovered from a pre-revolutionary war era tavern in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts.

Sometime it takes going "a wee ways beyond" the first impression of someone or some place, to truly find the truth and power right in front of us.

Every once and awhile we encounter an individual whose grace of heart and spirit gift us with remarkable insight. Jan shares the story of reaching out to the late Richard Carlson, author of the international bestselling series of books, "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff," and taught the transformative power Richard taught him in reaching back.

On September 11, 2001, like millions the world over, poet, journalist, and activist Kevin Powell stared in stunned horror at the events unfolding at the Twin Towers. That November he wrote a simple, profound poem that, on this anniversary of that day, Jan shares with you here, excavating hope from the mouth of madness.

The folding of origami cranes is said to bring the granting of a wish, for life, for recovery. Jan shares the story of a little girl named Sadako and a lesson of love and art to lift us all.

We often yearn for a world that once was. Meet a boy from Siberia who came to live in New York City's Lower East Side. With his music, he gave hope and connection to millions during a time of devastation, planting seeds of comfort, longing, and belonging. (*Recorded during the pandemic)

This month we have an astounding natural phenomenon in which there is both a super full moon that is also a blue moon. Rare and worthy of notice as to what it might say to us about our own possibilities for growth. Join Jan and dream a little..

The Unexpected meeting. Traveling the road less taken. Sometime going off the beaten path leads to discoveries that deepen our lives. Jan shares his teenage cross-country detour to West Virginia and the day he was transformed by a family of real McCoys.

Celebrating our 150th podcast, Jan shares the best advice he's received, and two poems that transform our understanding of all that matters.

We can never go back to before but we can celebrate the memory of someone who continues to teach us about authenticity and bravery. Marin Mazzie was such a magical singer/actress and gift to musical theatre who, in battling the challenge of ovarian cancer, taught us about the power of healing therapy and that amid life's ups and down, the world goes round .

Sometimes experiences shape every aspect of who we become and others never know it. Jan shares with you the relatively unknown hidden world of one of Hollywood's iconic actresses, her work with the Dutch Resistance, her connection to Anne Frank, the failed dream of being a ballerina, and ultimate triumph on screen that empowered others.

A young woman attempts suicide. An older woman who lived through the worst evil of humanity seeks to rescue her, sharing how she survived the darkest chapter and found her way back to life. And it's all true. This is Jan's family history as he shares a few pages from his Book-of-the-Month Club, Literary Guild selected novel, ALL THAT MATTERS.

Helen Keller said one should never creep if they want to soar. She was speaking of living fully. Jan shares Albert Einstein's rules of how to get there along with the story of man Jan met who taught him the meaning of pride in what you choose to do in life.

Sometimes lives are all too brief and yet they continue to touch us in surprising and illuminating ways. Jan shares the story of a special young man whose short life brought infectious laughter and joy, one for whom an annual run in the Jerusalem hills is named, the Tani Run, bringing thousands together to be inspired by his example to lift one another as we reach for a deeper life.

Recently back in Vermont, Jan visited the restaurant his dad used to own and where, while working part-time in college, this astounding moment took place, captured in this reprise from this popular episode from Season 1: Jan shares the uplifting unimaginable moment when, as a young man, he received a startling phone call from the composer/maestro, a human interaction that illuminates the power of...