Friends, this morning an oblivious fellow passenger cut me off in the TSA line, and words cannot describe the intensity of my sudden inner fury. Surely this is not the sign of a spirit at peace, one with the universe. Like lots of us, I am sometimes surprised by how riled up I am, barely […]
“Remove your shores.” I recently heard this description of a sign at the door of a meditation space, where a fortuitous typo shifted a simple commandment (“remove your shoes”) to a more mystical invitation (“remove your shores”). Dear ones, we operate in so many settings where the opposite occurs. Our grandest ambitions are squashed […]
Cultural analysis is intrinsically incomplete. And worse than that, the more deeply it goes the less complete it is. – Clifford Geertz What a delight to hear Clifford Geertz referenced in an academic talk this week! His commentary on cultural analysis was one of the first reading assignments I had at […]
I spent this past week surrounded by brilliant, provocative, important ideas. My notebook is stuffed full of quotes, my mind is reeling with sparkly new connections – these are my favorite kinds of overwhelm. From this ocean of fascinating content, a surprising thread emerged. Despite my love of brain-first adventure, despite my attending this gathering […]
Finally, finally, Boston is abloom. I passed an azalea this week so pink it made me laugh out loud. Then a friend mentioned a decidedly non-conventional stock idea. Another told a story they’d been keeping in for quite some time. A third brought me to tears with a heartfelt hug. Things are busting out […]
Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light. – Theodore Roethke Dear ones, it has been a long cold winter. The spring is surely arriving – starting, sputtering. May we give thanks for our small sustaining breaths. May we rejoice in our root-held light. A joyful […]
My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style. – Maya Angelou I recently had a chance to see the amazing Samurai exhibit at the British Museum, […]
We are continually shaped by the forces of coincidence. – Paul Auster Sometimes it seems like the world is conspiring against us, in ways big and small. The flight is mysteriously delayed, there is inexplicable snow despite a sunny forecast, the news headlines […]
At a panel discussion last year, I was asked where I saw the “tip of the spear,” the next battle to be fought – presumably with a righteous goal in mind. It was not until this question was posed that I realized my complete disinterest in it, even dismay. I was yearning for someone to […]
I recently reconnected with the work of Liliana Porter, an artist who I first noticed years ago at an auction for the terrific MassArt. In a recent interview, she shows off a toy monkey with cymbals, the kind that can drive you nuts in under 30 seconds. I was puzzled by Liliana’s obvious affection for […]