I recently had the pleasure of hosting MariBeth Decker, an extraordinary animal communicator, on my YouTube channel, “Things That Matter.” From the moment we met through a mutual friend, I knew she had something truly unique to share with our audience. Her ability to connect with animals and communicate with them is nothing short of … Read more

I want to share my heartfelt story about how my neighborhood in Eugene, Oregon, came together during the pandemic. A few years before it all began, we had moved here from Berkeley, California, and Eugene turned out to be the perfect place for us to ride through those tough times. Our lifestyle didn’t change much, … Read more

Look &/or listen as my guest Martie Mackay shares her pandemic story through her unique “nine things” photo design project. To cope with the isolation and emotional toll, Martie turned to something familiar yet unexpected — personal stories of the ordinary Things around her home during “lockdown”. First inspired by a striking image of the … Read more

In this episode of Things That Matter, I, Jill Yesko, shared a heartfelt story about a cherished childhood photo and its unexpected journey back to me. I talked about my early life and my godfather, Uncle Jack. He captured a special photograph of me in 1972, a picture that went missing for 35 years. I … Read more

Hello, everyone. My name is Elizabeth Barbour. I live in Asheville, North Carolina, and I’m thrilled to be here today to share a story that is very close to my heart. I grew up adopted, raised in Connecticut by my wonderful adoptive mom and dad as an only child. When I was 29 years old, … Read more

Hi everyone, it’s Melissa here. I’m sharing my heartfelt story about navigating the challenges brought by the pandemic while caring for my ailing mother. Despite the hardships, I found unexpected blessings during this difficult time. At the start of 2020, I was working as a marketing independent contractor for a senior living community. Coincidentally, it … Read more

Hello, everyone. I’m Martie McNabb, coming to you from my mom’s basement. Today, I’m thrilled to share an incredible conversation I had with Paul Szauter, a man whose journey and work are both deeply inspiring. So, a while back, I embarked on a project called “Our Community in 30 Things.” I reached out to a … Read more

When I was 19, my mom had a major cerebral aneurysm. It was a life-changing event, not just for her but for all of us. Despite the struggle, she lived many more years, although different from before. Reflecting on those earlier days, she used to cook for our family of six every single day—my dad, … Read more

Look & listen as my guest shares part of her life story through her collection of Beatles albums & other memorabilia. Gloria spoke of her childhood in western New York, under the stern gaze of a Mennonite community where dancing was just a distant dream, yet the scaffold for her future vocation was set in … Read more

Growing up & still living in my childhood home has always been a blessing, and every time I step into this kitchen, countless memories flood back. This isn’t just any kitchen—this is my mother’s kitchen. It didn’t always look like this; back then, there were no cabinets, but there was always a washer and dryer. … Read more