Survival of the Nicest
In 1871, Charles Darwin proposed that the human species had succeeded because of traits like sharing and compassion. "Those communities," he wrote, "which included the greatest number of the most sympathetic members would flourish best, and rear the greatest number of offspring." Nearly 150 years later, modern science is confirming Darwin's hypothesis -- with practical implications for how we rela... posted on Jul 15 2013, 37,847 reads

Making Good: The Art of Repair
"The 16th-century Japanese tea master Sen no Rikyu is said to have ignored his host's fine Song Dynasty Chinese tea jar until the owner smashed it in despair at his indifference. After the shards had been painstakingly reassembled by the man's friends, Rikyu declared: 'Now, the piece is magnificent.' So it went in old Japan: when a treasured bowl fell to the floor, one didn't just sigh and reach f... posted on Jul 14 2013, 6,174 reads

A Tale of Misplaced Love and Irony
"When the world began, there was a place for everything in the human heart, and everything was in its place. This meant one never, ever had to look for anything. Which sounds awfully convenient, and that is exactly what it was. Awfully. Convenient. In this impeccable order of things everything happened on a schedule. Serendipity, for instance got the 2 pm slot on Tuesday afternoons (which meant of... posted on Jul 12 2013, 32,519 reads

What Is It To Be Intellectually Humble?
According to Aristotle, "All people by nature desire to know." The wish to know and understand things can foster great ambition. But this article is about intellectual humility, when we care so much about knowing, understanding, and getting to the truth that we become oblivious of what we are "worth." The apostle Paul says, "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." Can love of knowledge bring us h... posted on Jul 10 2013, 34,930 reads

8 Fearless Questions
"What, really, is available to us if we can't save the world? What do we fund our work for? Where do we gain energy if we don't believe that we're going to be successful? How can we do our work without hope that we will succeed? There's something very interesting to understand about hope. That is, that hope and fear are one. Any time we're hopeful, we don't know it necessarily, but we're bringing ... posted on Jul 08 2013, 43,547 reads

Love Books? 4 Ways to Share Them
Love books? Learn how you can share this love with others with these simple and fun ideas. From sending your books on a journey to creating a tiny library in unexpected places, these ideas offer a way to promote literacy and build community.... posted on Jul 06 2013, 27,169 reads

Mama Hill: A Gang's Worst Nightmare
This is an inspiring story of a 73-year-old former school teacher who has transformed her home into a refuge and resource center for local youth in Watts, CA. From her days of marching with MLK Jr., to raising kids as a single mom, and a long career serving in some of LA's toughest schools, Mama Hill (as she is endearingly called by her community) has a deep understanding of what urban youth need... posted on Jul 05 2013, 8,704 reads

What I Learned From 30 Years Of Watching A River
"In all the years I have spent standing or sitting on the banks of this river, I have learned this: the more knowledge I have, the greater becomes the mystery of what holds that knowledge together, this reticulated miracle called an ecosystem. The longer I watch the river, the more amazed I become (afraid, actually, sometimes) at the confidence of those people who after a few summer seasons here a... posted on Jul 03 2013, 9,968 reads

Lessons from Messes
"While making tacos one evening several years ago, I heard the pitter-patter of my son's toddler toes scampering toward me, paired with a hearty, mischievous giggle. I remember thinking, "I wonder what's so funny...He's been so quiet, playing all by himself." A quiet toddler? Playing by himself? For 30 minutes? I should have known better: rookie mistake. I turned to greet my then 16-month-old and ... posted on Jun 29 2013, 17,669 reads

Gandhi's Ten Rules for Changing the World
Change the world; we hear those words thrown around quite frequently, and to some, the notion seems incredulous. However, if we take an inner approach, rather than an outer one, and transform our individual selves into adopting the qualities we wish to see in the world, then the task at hand won't seem as daunting. In the wise words of Mahatma Gandhi, "As human beings, our greatness lies not so... posted on Jun 28 2013, 1,389,584 reads