I have been blessed by the number of world stories I have found from my travels around the world. I have also had the opportunity to learn a bit about each country. Customs and rituals. Geography and daily habits. In turn, that lends substantial meaning to the world stories I hear. And one of the benefits is to see how world stories come directly from the cultures of origin. My firsthand experience of a given culture heightens my appreciation of their stories. My travels have taken me to Southeast Asia, Central and South America, around the United States, Canada, and Europe. I find myself amazed at both the differences and similarities of the various countries.

All cultures regard certain notions as sacred. You can also find things demonic. Their stories regularly exhibit these notions. They make up the mythical soil out of which the stories grow. Many world stories derive from mythology. Creation stories form the majority of this category, along with other stories help explain the world.

By contrast, folk tales spawn from daily village life. These stories rise out of a rural setting for obvious reasons. Fairy tales also live in the world of folktales. The questioning minds of preliterate villagers found apt expression through stories of magic and mystery. Cautionary tales abound, all of them containing messages to avert disaster. Stay out of the dark forest! Keep away from wild animals! Do not talk to strangers! On the other hand, reward and happy endings comprise many folktales. Good is eternally pitted against evil. One can discover the Golden Rule in most plots. No matter what the genre, a good world story brings meaning to the contemporary world as well. And that brings us to storytelling today. Contemporary society is far removed from rural villages of old, but the old stories still remain pertinent.

Some world stories are downright funny. Other world stories are mysterious. Many world stories are full of insight. Often world stories are enigmatic. Generally world stories contain lessons. All world stories entertain.

No matter what, all world stories maintain a deep bond with the fabric of their culture. The experiences of people are drawn in world stories. And they have merit in worlds far removed from their origin.

To enjoy the breadth of subject matter found in world stories, listen to my CD entitled “World Full of Stories.” It is an award winning recording that will take you on a delightful trip around the world!

The struggles of life have been with us for centuries as well. Conflict. Pestilence. Relationship scuffles. Struggles that implore some understanding, some support. Some kind of resolution.

At the same time, nobody likes to be preached to. We prefer to take our medicine with a bit of sweetener. That is where laughter comes in. It is the honey in the brew. Witty humor is priceless humor. A unique combination.

As you know, everyone loves to laugh. Laughter enlivens the spirit. And as long as we are laughing at the foibles of others (and not ourselves) we find those situations funny. This is priceless humor.

Look at the great humorists around us. Dave Barry. George Carlin. Garrison Kiellor. Look at history and the humorists that litter the pages. Moliere. Ogden Nash. All of them were storytellers. Priceless humor their brush.

What makes priceless humor? There is a simple answer to this question. Priceless humor involves situations which most of us have experienced. The lost keys. The comic situation. The consequences that follow are generally laughable.

The world of urban folktales is a rich source of priceless humor. My CD Parking in Manhattan illustrates many humorous circumstances. Folks can relate to and empathize with the characters involved in these hilarious comedies. Priceless humor arises out of priceless situations.

You can also find many examples of priceless humor in world stories. These stories always bring gales of laughter when they are told. Two good examples from my CD Fables in Four Minutes are “Rock Soup” and “Herschel in the Woods” Listen to “The Egg Seller” or “Hickory Dock” from World Full of Stories. These are just a few examples of priceless humor. These stories will stick with you long after you heard them. You can find priceless humor and more at www.jaystetzer.com.

When I am out and about, I tune into conversations around me. They are filled with catastrophes and disasters. The conversants generally cannot see the life lesson they offer. As a storyteller, my job is to sift through the data and sort out the meaning. To make the tale palatable, I inject a bit of humor. Making the story priceless with priceless humor!

There is priceless humor in virtually every genre. Why? Simple answer number two. We learn best when we are laughing. A story with priceless humor often comes with a lesson attached. It just goes to show what a treasure priceless humor can be.

I have been blessed by the number of world stories I have found from my travels throughout the world. I have also had the opportunity to learn a bit about each country. So the world stories I hear have substantial meaning to me. In the process, I have discovered how world stories arise out of the cultures from which they are born. My firsthand experience of a given culture heightens my appreciation of their stories. My travels have taken me to Southeast Asia, Central and South America, and Europe. The differences as well as the similarities of the various countries impress me deeply.

Some world stories are downright funny. Other world stories are mysterious. Many world stories are insightful. Often world stories are inscrutable. Generally world stories teach. All world stories keep us amused. Storyteller.

Regardless of their intent, all world stories express deep bonds with the fabric of a country and culture. The experiences of people are drawn in world stories.

To enjoy the breadth of subject matter found in world stories, listen to my CD entitled “World Full of Stories. It is an award winning recording that will take you on a delightful trip around the world! You can find world stories and more at www.jaystetzer.com. jaystetzer.com

Even when I was growing up, I found myself deeply touched by inspirational stories. I heard similar stories from my mother and my grandfather. Once in a while, a teacher would tell a story that held profound meaning to me. I was surprised to find how memorable those stories were. To this day I still remember and follow those messages. The Golden Rule. There is no substitute for honesty. Take time to smell the flowers. Community giving is part of community living. Messages that made me who I am today.

I find myself using stories I heard long ago when I perform today. The stories are ageless. The messages of long ago still have merit in the world today.

Why seek out inspirational stories? First, consider the barrage of daily news and information. Second, the lives we live give us no breathing space to reflect. And without time to reflect, how can we develop insight into the affairs of the day? Here is the place for inspirational stories. Inspirational stories give listeners something to chew on. They offer something to think about. Something that points us a bit closer to our “true north.” Something that gives us perspective.

Looking for inspiration? At www.jaystetzer.com you can find memorable inspirational stories. Go to the “Listen” page on the site and you will surely discover a number of stories with relevant messages. “The Egg Seller” and “Herschel and the Wedding” from the World Full of Stories CD are good examples of inspirational stories. “Service with a Smile” on my Parking in Manhattan CD offers the listener a great hidden lesson. I find that inspirational stories stick in the memory long after they are told. I am even inspired by the inspirational stories I tell!

We live in a complex, fast moving world. We all need a bit of “inner” direction to guide us as we cruise down the highway of life. Inspirational stories can help us in our travels. Think of them as your own personal GPS! My recordings contain a wealth of inspirational stories. Check them out!