BJ Miller: What Really Matters at the End of Life
"At the end of our lives, what do we most wish for? For many, it's simply comfort, respect, love. BJ Miller is a palliative care physician at Zen Hospice Project who thinks deeply about how to create a dignified, graceful end of life for his patients. Take the time to savor this moving talk, which asks big questions about how we think on death and honor life."... posted on Nov 16 2015, 67,000 reads

One Man's Journey Back from the Brink
In late 2012, Brice Royer was lying on a bed in terrible pain. He had been diagnosed with stomach cancer -- and, in unbearable pain, was contemplating taking his own life. But something kept him going, long enough to find a purpose within his suffering. From the ashes of hardship, he realized the blessing of unconditional love. Read on to be inspired by one man's miraculous journey.... posted on Nov 15 2015, 7,674 reads

Should We Train Doctors for Empathy?
The term 'bedside manner' has long been used to describe a doctor's ability to connect and empathize with a patient. According to recent studies, the importance of good bedside manners is becoming more and more critical, as patients whose doctors listen and demonstrate an understanding of their concerns not only are more satisfied with their treatment, but also enjoy better health. This article sh... posted on Nov 14 2015, 12,775 reads

Kindness Includes Everything
"What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness. Those moments when another human being was there, in front of me, suffering, and I responded ... sensibly. Reservedly. Mildly. Or, to look at it from the other end of the telescope: Who, in your life, do you remember most fondly, with the most undeniable feelings of warmth? Those who were kindest to you, I bet. Its a little facile, maybe, a... posted on Nov 13 2015, 5,224 reads

American Bear: An Adventure in the Kindness of Strangers
"American Bear" captures the adventures of Sarah Sellman and Greg Grano, who embark on a 60 day, 30 state trip around the United States, critically examining American culture, compassion and fear, by relying on the kindness of strangers for a bed in a different town each night. This 10 minute excerpt follows three days of the journey in South Dakota and Montana, featuring two of their hosts: a cha... posted on Nov 12 2015, 3,034 reads

4 Ways to Build a Positive School
"Schools are a slice of humanity: Everyone brings both their wonderful innate goodness and their challenging globby muck to the classroom. Creating a safe and supportive school culture is one of the most difficult tasks principals face as fearless school leaders. When they succeed, it helps everyone -- students, teachers, and themselves -- bring out the goodness and reduce the muck."... posted on Nov 11 2015, 13,687 reads

The Cave Digger
In the high desert of northern New Mexico Ra Paulette, with only his dog for company, has spent the past 25 years scraping and shaping New Mexico's sandstone into man-made caves of art. He calls them his wilderness shrines -- massive in scale, poetic in their design. If his work takes your breath away, that's just what he hoped it would do.... posted on Nov 10 2015, 9,084 reads

20 Amazing Pictures from Outer Space
As humans have begun to explore the mysteries of outer space, both by sending unmanned probes and physically traveling beyond the Earth's atmosphere, a vast number of amazing pictures have been collected. Often photographs of outer space are recorded for the purposes of science, but are also often breathtakingly beautiful images revealing the wonders of the universe. This post brings together 20 o... posted on Nov 09 2015, 383,934 reads

An Illustrated Love Letter to Canine Companions
There's something deep nestled within a dog's unconditional love, that prompts humanity's abiding devotion to these gracious,four-legged beings. In our worst of times, they are always there -- cold nose pressed firmly to heart, reminding us that we are not alone. In her beguiling book, Beloved Dog, artist Maira Kalman brings to life the deep bond between humans and their canine companions.... posted on Nov 08 2015, 14,344 reads

A Small Town's Beautiful Gift to a Child
At two, Evan Leversage was diagnosed with brain cancer. In the five years since then he has been through extensive chemo and radiation treatments. When the family recently learned that his tumor had grown, and that there were no guarantees on how much time he had left, they had Evan make a bucket list. On it was a trip to Niagara Falls, a movie and his favorite restaurant. Also: Christmas. When ... posted on Nov 07 2015, 10,916 reads