Frodo Baggins, Odysseus, Dante. Three characters on epic, dangerous quests. According to scholar Joy Clarkson, reading stories like theirs can inspire strength and courage in people during hard times. Plus, we check in with BC salon owner Tanya Sullivan — before and after the pandemic shutdown — and discover what music is keeping her afloat.

In the Before Times, Mary Hynes and Brian Goldman were work pals. We called Dr. Goldman to talk about our Soundtrack for the Soul — the playlist of songs giving people life right now — but the script went out the window and the two started talking from the heart. Blue Jays announcer Jamie Campbell has been calling elderly fans during the pandemic to ward off loneliness… and the human connection has fortified Campbell and fans alike. When Nehal El-Hadi gave birth to her first child, she instinctively reached for the sandalwood oil, to anoint her baby and build a connection with her Sudanese culture.

Korean boy band BTS has legions of devoted fans known as ARMY. In her documentary, CBC producer - and self-professed ARMY - Jane van Koeverden explores why the connection between BTS and its fans is so deep. Hint: their loyalty is based on much more than just catchy music. Escape room owner Ibrahim Faruqui talks about the importance of play during the pandemic. Stan Halbesma, owner of a rural Manitoba grocery store, offers music for the soul.

We revisit an unforgettable interview from 2006 with journalist Randall Sullivan as part of our Tapestry@25 celebrations. Sullivan began investigating purported miracles — sightings of the Virgin Mary — as an assignment for Rolling Stone magazine. It took him from a trailer in Oregon to the hillsides of Medugorje and eventually led to a harrowing chapter of his life… that turned him from a skeptic to a believer. Plus a new addition to Tapestry’s Soundtrack for the Soul.

Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began, Dene artist and activist Melaw Nakehk’o packed up her three sons, left their home in Yellowknife, and set up camp with her parents along the Dehcho River. She says physical distancing in town left her feeling disconnected, but isolating on the land for five weeks gave her family an opportunity to reconnect with their traditional way of life. Khristi Lauren Adams is an ordained Baptist minister and youth advocate who has devoted her life to working with young black women and girls. She says they often struggle with the belief they can’t be anything but fierce. She works to help them feel ‘seen’ and cultivate their self-acceptance.

Author and parenting expert Ann Douglas offers her signature blend of compassion and practical advice to parents struggling to care for their children during COVID-19 isolation. Sikander Hashmi is an imam and community leader in Kanata, ON. He shares how he is guiding his community through Ramadan celebrations despite physical isolation.

Dr. Alice Chen warns that isolation and physical distancing, while necessary now, could lead our social muscles to atrophy. She offers simple tips to keep those muscles strong and prevent a social recession. Sophie Châtillon is a pharmacist outside Montreal who’s pregnant with her second child. She shares the two songs that are helping her through this strange time.

Rugby commentator Nick Heath does funny play-by-play on everyday life. Psychiatrist Nel Wieman offers practical advice for staying centred during the pandemic. Plus four new additions to Tapestry’s Soundtrack for the Soul.

Introvert Jessica Pan reflects on her ‘nightmarish’ quest to live like an extrovert for a year. American freelance writer Dan Brooks cautions against typecasting yourself. And, a Moncton couple recommends a song for our Soundtrack for the Soul that made them “laugh out loud.”

These are difficult days all over the world, so it’s a good time to hear from two wise elders. It's part of our continuing series Tapestry@25, celebrating our most-requested and most memorable interviews from the archives.

Buddhist scholar Joanna Macy and gardener Marjorie Harris will offer guidance on finding the sublime in the smallest of things. This episode is all about hope, gratitude and slowing down enough to let a little joy catch up with you.