Joy is the mostly invisible, the underground union between us… – Ross Gay, The Book of Delights I’ve long been a fan of the idea that we can make our own small joys in life – noticing beautiful moments, finding a pocket of quiet in a noisy space, and occasionally […]
I’ve been mulling over the differences between awe and wonder lately, in part thanks to this recent terrific conversation between Krista Tippett and Dacher Keltner. Their discussion stayed with me because Keltner’s work highlights that the most common form of awe is not the Grand Canyon or the Redwoods, but humans awed by one another. […]
Today I went for a nice long hike in a new place, and at the summit there were lots of us taking obligatory and celebratory selfies. One couple was sitting quietly off to the side, notable because they were staring out at the view instead of down at their screens. Sure enough, one of them […]
Yesterday I was finishing up some errands I’d put off for far too long, and truth be told it was not especially festive in the cold and the rain, the sky already darkening at just 3pm. It seemed I was not the only one who was trudging down the street instead of skipping. Turning the […]
Yesterday I spent the day on fall chores, which I always leave until just a little too late in the season. Digging up the dahlias, dragging the outdoor furniture into the barn, and raking some giant leaf piles made for a satisfying morning, despite the frost. I was clearing a fallen limb by the roadside […]
Years ago, a dear friend passed away, completely unexpectedly. The pain was sharp and intense, acute. Weeks and weeks later, on my regular morning commute, a perfectly fine day, someone gently bumped into me on the train and I burst into tears. Time layers into us. The acute slowly fades, but it does not […]
Sometimes I come across a new poem in an old book of favorites and it beams forth, saying, this one, now. I love how this form and language of this blessing from John O’Donohue mirror the essence of the ideas he’s conveying – heavy at first, then sad, then quiet, and then, at last, lighter. […]
Even though the world is on fire, we are allowed to experience joy. – ROXANE GAY I attended a glorious wedding this weekend in a glorious location, where the priest quoted The Princess Bride and the church was full of joy. (Congratulations, cousins!) We went to visit a gigantic […]
Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face. – Victor Hugo This week I attended a terrific business conference in Florida, where a cool sun was shining. Of course in the last hour I realized all my time had all been spent in conference rooms, so I went for […]
This past week marked a joyful beginning, where many years of professional endeavor came to a new and exciting starting point (click here for the news from Putnam). At other beginnings, whether first days of school, or moving days, or first dates, or new jobs, I’ve felt the familiar flutters of anticipation, happiness, determination, hopefulness, and […]