Thanksgiving Spotlight on Gratitude
On October 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln set aside the last Thursday of November as a day to give thanks, a new national holiday, Thanksgiving. He urged his fellow citizens then embroiled in civil war to not lose sight of the gifts surrounding them, among them "fruitful fields and healthy skies." Lincoln understood that, even in the worst of times, gratitude is essential. As we celebrate Than... posted on Nov 24 2016, 15,001 reads

How to Protect Against Nature-Deficit Disorder
With today's use of technology, it can be easy to forget to go outside, but studies show that making this a habit can be bad for your health, especially for kids. In this interview with Richard Louv, author of the book, "Vitamin N: 500 Ways to Enrich the Health & Happiness of You Family & Community," Louv talks about the upsides of getting outside. Spending time in nature can result in a host of b... posted on Nov 23 2016, 16,569 reads

John Muir's Spiritual and Political Journey
A self-taught mechanical genius and trained botanist, John Muir was offered a lucrative job, but an accident that had nearly blinded him had given him the resolve to abandon convention, renounce the prospect of wealth and success, and go "wholehearted and unafraid" into the American wilderness. Read on about how his spiritual awakening became a catalyst for social change.... posted on Nov 22 2016, 20,637 reads

Do You Like Me? Do I?
""While I was at Facebook, I came up with an idea to solve a problem. Here was the problem. Lets say, I posted this awesome photo. Five or ten people might comment, and I'd feel great...But I soon noticed that people who didn't have something new or clever to say, might not say anything at all. They'd come up to me in the hallway and tell me they liked something I'd shared. WAIT A MINUTE. How muc... posted on Nov 21 2016, 35,399 reads

Tending the Quiet Cadence of Our Lives
"Oysters open their shells when the moon is high. The chambered nautilus forms a new chamber in its spiraled shell every lunar month" In this lovely essay, Wayne Muller entreats us to pause the hectic pace of life to tune into nature's quiet rhythms. "There is a hum the earth makes... We are blessed with ears that allow us to hear music, and birds awakening at sunrise, and, if we take the time, if... posted on Nov 20 2016, 17,815 reads

Flowers from the Sky
Brenda Louie grew up during China's Cultural Revolution. She walked out of the country looking at the stars as she waited for her bound-foot grandmother to catch up. An extraordinary journey led her to Stanford. Her message is about the hope for humanity. "We have the sky. The rain and the sun come from the sky on old people, young people, rich, poor -- all colors and races, not honoring and bles... posted on Nov 19 2016, 3,828 reads

Ode to Lesvos
"It was natural to help." "Next time it might be my family." When over 300,000 refugees passed through the island of Lesvos, Greece, in 2015, the people there fished them out of the water, opened their homes and businesses, fed them, washed and ironed their clothes, and held their babies. This ode to the people of Lesvos celebrates the triumph of compassion and kindness over the tragic politics an... posted on Nov 18 2016, 4,170 reads

The Power of Emotional Agility
Just like physical agility, emotional agility is important to overall health, well-being and successful relationships at work. Psychologist Susan David, a lecturer at Harvard Medical School and author of the book, Emotional Agility, offers insights about the "critical skill set" needed to achieve emotional balance. She notes, "emotions help us not only to communicate with other people but also to ... posted on Nov 17 2016, 13,970 reads

Reengineering Our Patterns
Eknath Easwaran, recommends slowing down and prioritizing our lives to live in more productive and balanced ways. As chair of the English Department at a large university, Easwaran's to-do list was long and daunting. He shares how he tackled it through inspiration from his grandmother, a woman who managed a large family with an unerring sense of what was central and what was peripheral. ... posted on Nov 16 2016, 0 reads

How Women-Led Movements Are Redefining Power
Across the globe, a revolution is quietly occurring. Women's groups, networks, and individuals are fighting battles fiercely and valiantly, often in the face of discouragement and discrimination. While they might not always make the front page of the news, they are not going away, and their strength is growing. Dayamani Barla is a tribal journalist from Jharkhand, India, who led a movement to stop... posted on Nov 15 2016, 17,381 reads