Creating Welcoming Space
"Hospitality means creating welcoming space for the other. Henri J. Nouwen notes that the Dutch word for hospitality, gastvrijheid, means 'the freedom of the guest.' It entails creating not just physical room but emotional spaciousness where the stranger can enter and be himself or herself, where the stranger can become ally instead of threat, friend instead of enemy." In a time when it is more cr... posted on Jul 12 2019, 7,674 reads

Shekinah Elmore: From Hospital Gown to White Coat
"Shekinah Elmore was not yet a physician when she gave her own second opinion. After a year of cancer treatment -- including lung surgery, chemotherapy, and a double mastectomy --she was hell-bent on starting medical school. Her doctors tried to dissuade her, recommending that she take more time to recover from her third stint with cancer. But two weeks after finishing the therapies that left her ... posted on Jul 11 2019, 2,363 reads

Unexpected Art in Unexpected Places
What happens when we look more closely, whether with the naked eye or equipment? Incredible details come into focus, bringing with them the possibility of beauty and interest we might never have conceived of. Imagine what would occur if you suddenly zoomed in on all those things you have lying around your house and studio or rusting outside. What new art might be inspired by such "stuff"? Mirka Kn... posted on Jul 10 2019, 7,119 reads

Uncomfortable Place of Uncertainty
"We weren't trained to admit we don't know. Most of us were taught to sound certain and confident, to state our opinion as if it were true. We haven't been rewarded for being confused. Or for asking more questions rather than giving quick answers. We've also spent many years listening to others mainly to determine whether we agree with them or not. We don't have time or interest to sit and listen ... posted on Jul 09 2019, 9,494 reads

Equanimity, Mindfulness and Politics
While contemporary society praises the benefits of mindfulness in domains from schools to workplaces, open, non-judgmental awareness is far from a panacea for solving the world's most pressing dilemmas. Individuals and nations remain divided on the issues that define us. "Are we really creating individuals who can focus on improving their capacities for engagement and mediation while simultaneousl... posted on Jul 08 2019, 5,990 reads

How a Simple Human Smile Saved His Life
In a creative sandbox for what would become Saint-Exuperys most famous line in The Little Prince-- 'What is essential is invisible to the eye.'-- he writes: "How does life construct those lines of force which make us alive?Real miracles make little noise! Essential events are so simple!" One such essential event in Saint-Exupery's life had to do with the mundane miracle of a simple smile, a gift ... posted on Jul 07 2019, 7,625 reads

The Daily Opportunity in Randomness
"The physicist Leonard Mlodinow changes how we think about the agency we have in shaping our own destinies. As a scientist, he works with principles like Brownian motion, by which Einstein helped verify the existence of molecules and atoms. As the child of Holocaust survivors, he dances with the experience we all have: that life never goes as planned, and yet the choices we make can matter. The co... posted on Jul 06 2019, 11,893 reads

Gift Ecology: A Conversation with Nipun Mehta
"The path from transaction to trust goes through relationships. So if we cultivate such a field of deep relationships, trust will naturally arise. Then the question is: How do we cultivate such a field? I think it starts with small acts of service. Its the small acts of service that create an affinity between us, and that connection over time creates deeper bonds. Thats the home for virtue to grow... posted on Jul 05 2019, 8,150 reads

Flying the Big Ones
"I used to be a flight attendant with TWA back in 1970. They almost wouldn't hire me as a flight attendant because I was really tiny, like 105 pounds. They didn't feel like I could even do that job, let alone, later on, wrestle around a stretch DC-8, a 727 or a 747." She proved them wrong, and after she turned 50, she became one of 40 women pilots in commercial aviation along 150,000 men. ... posted on Jul 04 2019, 1,977 reads

What Does it Take to Be Racially Literate?
Few people really believe that race does not affect their lives in some way, but most of us are unwilling to admit it. We avoid discussing these differences and do ourselves a disservice. Priya Vulchi and Winona Guo are two high school students who decided it was time to bring this discussion out in the open. The key, they say, is to face the issue with both our hearts and our minds, for our minds... posted on Jul 03 2019, 2,818 reads