In this Rich Reflections session, Rich steps into the energy of New York City for an experiment in presence: can you find stillness in one of the most stimulating places in the world? Recording from a park near Hudson Yards, Rich begins with five minutes of breathing before moving through a series of questions designed to create greater clarity about our lives. Against the sounds and movement of Manhattan, he reflects on gratitude, observation, curiosity, hope, travel, and the seemingly insignificant details that can reveal something larger about ourselves and the world around us. Recorded on the 25th anniversary of September 11th, Rich remembers experiencing the attacks as a seventh grader in rural Wisconsin and considers how his perspective has changed over time. He reflects on the sense of national unity he remembers from the aftermath and asks listeners to consider their own memories—or, for younger listeners, what September 11th means to them today. From there, the session follows curiosity wherever it leads: Thomas Jefferson, the history of coffee, walking through New York, travel, and Rich’s new Ads in New York book project. He explores advertising as a cultural time capsule and considers the value of becoming a better observer—noticing the overlooked details that tell us something about the larger human story. This is an episode about getting out of our heads and back into the world. What gives us hope? When do we feel completely present? What obscure interests make us who we are? And what are we genuinely excited to experience next? Because if you can sit still, breathe, and reflect in New York City, maybe you can do it anywhere. Questions in this session: 1. What are we grateful for? 2. Where were we on September 11th, 2001? What do we think about it now? If you weren’t born or don’t remember it, what stands out to you about September 11th culturally, societally, or in relation to your family? 3. What—or who—have we been curious about learning about lately? 4. What is something most people would consider uninteresting that you find interesting? 5. What place would we like to experience next? What’s next on our travel or curiosity list—even if we experience it through film, YouTube, or learning rather than physically traveling? 6. When was the last time we felt completely present? 7. What gives us hope? 8. What is a small nuance in our life that others wouldn’t know about, but that is personally meaningful to us? 9. What are we curious about recently? 10. What are we energized for in the next week?
