Building Connections Beat by Beat
An Arts & Healing Initiative uses creative practices like a drum circle to help children express themselves, and build social connections. The intention is to “proliferate kindness, compassion and connection,” in a nonverbal way to help children express themselves. According to Director Ping Ho, “The arts actually have [many] social-emotional benefits that many people who par... posted on Oct 12 2024, 674 reads

How to Stop Overthinking Your Happiness
People universally desire to be happy, yet “even when people’s lives are good, many feel less than happy, and may be beset by anxiety and depression.” In fact, philosopher Eric Hoffer said, “The search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness.” Some of the reasons include setting very high expectations, comparison to others, and concern about and track... posted on Oct 08 2024, 1,910 reads

The Hidden Playgrounds of Elephants and Gorillas
Drones and artificial intelligence are helping scientists discover a network of what Indigenous Ba’aka people call bais. They are clearings in the midst of forests where forest elephants, gorillas, buffalo, antelopes, and more gather to “soak up vital nutrition and maintain their intricate social networks.” Scientists thought there were only a few of them, but found over 2,000 in... posted on Oct 07 2024, 1,227 reads

Can Social Media Keep Indigenous Languages Alive?
In some cases, only a few elderly speakers of the language remain among seventy Indigenous languages in Canada. Instead of written word, people are using social media to help keep the languages alive by helping people learn the way all babies learn, by speaking one word at a time. “We breathe life into languages by speaking them.” A single Indigenous word can carry “thousands of ... posted on Oct 02 2024, 883 reads

From Vacant Lots To Edible Green Spaces -- and Community
Food forests are thriving around Boston, and so are the people involved with them. They help heal neglected environments by transforming vacant lots into green spaces that foster climate resiliency, and host a huge variety of species and plants that also feed pollinators and birds. Anyone can participate in the gardening by planting, harvesting, and eating the fresh fruits, herbs, berries, and veg... posted on Sep 27 2024, 1,096 reads

Rachelle Jeanty: Finding Spirit in Pain
Rachelle Jeanty gifts us with a few verses of her crystal voice in song, and talks about how she led a luxurious life as a backup singer for a global superstar. Her dream, however, was to be a singer-songwriter, so she left to follow her own path. She tried everything over ten years that included being betrayed and scammed by an agent that her intuition had told her not to trust. She was devastate... posted on Sep 25 2024, 2,095 reads

How Does Your Personality Affect Your Happiness?
Research led by René Mõttus of Edinburgh University and the University of Tartu in Estonia explores how traits such as extroversion, agreeableness, and openness to experience can significantly influence one's overall sense of well-being.  However, no single personality trait guarantees happiness. Instead, it is the alignment of one’s actions, values, and environment with t... posted on Sep 20 2024, 2,205 reads

How to Embrace Your Political Enemy
A group of University of Pennsylvania students traveled throughout Pennsylvania to listen to people. They approached strangers in shops, on the street, and in many different venues. Their intention was not to change minds, take polls, or listen with an agenda, but to simply listen. One of their professors said: “People can tell when you are listening to them with curiosity, intellectual humi... posted on Sep 19 2024, 1,676 reads

15 Year-old's Letter to the Yard Across the Street
When her dad sent her a picture of pending home construction in what had been a vacant “yard” across the street from her home, a 15-year-old felt a sudden emptiness. She started remembering the coyotes, rabbits, deer, birds, a great pine tree, and amazing sunset orange poppies. She remembered playing with friends on a trampoline, and neighbors who lived next to the lot who brought gran... posted on Sep 18 2024, 2,798 reads

A Sparrow's Song To Lift Up the Sky
"The sparrow heard that the sky was falling, and while all the other creatures fled, she asked herself, 'What can I do? I'm just a sparrow.' But then, in a flash of brilliance, she lay on her back, pointing her tiny feet towards the sky. 'What are you doing, Little Sparrow?' the others asked. 'Well, I've heard the sky is falling, and so I'm doing my bit to hold it up.'," Nipun Mehta recounts a sto... posted on Sep 17 2024, 3,635 reads