An Unforgettable Meeting with a Reclusive Genius
Becoming increasingly intrigued by painter Agnes Martin, Hadi Tabatabai took a chance and sent the famously reclusive artist a small painting of his own. To his surprise, she responded warmly and extended an open invitation for a visit. A year later, he traveled to Taos, New Mexico to meet her. Here's the account of that meeting.... posted on Apr 16 2016, 14,358 reads

Generosity: The Most Powerful Animating Force of Art
Annie Dillard notes, "People love pretty much the same things best. A writer, though, looking for subjects asks not after what he loves best, but what he alone loves at all...Why do you never find anything written about that idiosyncratic thought you advert to, about your fascination with something no one else understands? Because it is up to you. There is something you find interesting, for a rea... posted on Apr 15 2016, 12,806 reads

8 Great Writers On Why Reverence Matters
Reverence. It's a word that has tumbled out of use and favor in today's world. And humanity has paid a high price for that loss. Here, eight writers, including Wendell Berry and Mary Oliver, speak up in voices that are lyrical, incisive, and urgent, drawing us back to the luminous heart of what it means to live reverently.... posted on Apr 14 2016, 37,581 reads

The Paper Bag Boy of Abu Dhabi
As a young boy, Abdul Muqeet's concerns are not about playing sports or being with friends. Instead, Abdul is on a mission to protect his world. After learning about the terrible effects of plastic bags on the environment, Abdul decided to take a stand. Since he was 8-years-old, Abdul has been making paper bags from recycled newspapers. To date, he has completed over 5,000 of his "Mukku bags," don... posted on Apr 13 2016, 4,389 reads

The Story of the Man Who Gave Us Pain Relief
For the longest time, doctors basically ignored the most basic and frustrating part of being sick -- pain. In this lyrical, informative talk, Latif Nasser tells the extraordinary story of wrestler and doctor John J. Bonica, who persuaded the medical profession to take pain seriously -- and transformed the lives of millions. ... posted on Apr 12 2016, 13,813 reads

Growing Up the Internet
Internet pioneer and filmmaker Tiffany Shlain thinks of the internet as our global brain. Founder of the Webby Awards and a co-founder of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, she has directed and co-written 28 films, such as "Brain Power: From Neurons to Networks." She is committed to reframing technology as an expression of the best of what humanity is capable, with all the com... posted on Apr 11 2016, 10,148 reads

Learning to Die
The beloved Benedictine monk, Brother David Steindl-Rast, tells us that "In the rule of St. Benedict, the momenta mori has always been important, because one of what St. Benedict calls "the tools of good works" meaning the basic approaches to the daily life of the monastery -- is to have death at all times before one's eyes." Learn more about his heartfelt discoveries in the following excerpt.... posted on Apr 10 2016, 14,737 reads

Eat Your Spoon
Every year, 350 billion pieces of disposable plastic cutlery and wooden chopsticks are discarded in the United States, Japan and India. Research scientist Narayana Peesapaty has come up with a solution: edible cutlery and chopsticks. These products are made of millet, rice and wheat, contain no preservatives, and have a shelf life of 3 years. They will also decompose in 3 to 7 days (unless they ar... posted on Apr 09 2016, 3,627 reads

Everyday Conversations to Heal Racism
"I am a second-generation Mexican American leadership coach and elder living in California. I experienced so much prejudice and racism during my young adulthood that for years I avoided even being in the presence of white people. Finally, well into my 30s, I realized that the wounds and pain I carried were robbing me of my full potential. I could do better than be angry at other people; I could wo... posted on Apr 08 2016, 10,874 reads

4 Reasons to Cultivate Patience
As virtues go, patience is a quiet one. It's often exhibited behind closed doors, not on a public stage: A father telling a third bedtime story to his son, a dancer waiting for her injury to heal. In public, it's the impatient ones who grab all our attention: drivers honking in traffic, grumbling customers in slow-moving lines. We have epic movies exalting the virtues of courage and compassion, bu... posted on Apr 07 2016, 0 reads