show each other the way out at San Francisco’s Delancey Street. In early May 1995, Margie Lewis sat on a bench at the Delancey Street Foundation, a residential education center for addicts and ex-convicts in San Francisco, awaiting intake. Until that moment, her life had been defined by institutions—teenage years in the California Youth Authority and long stays in jail as an adult. Enrollment in the program was her last chance—her only alternative to the life sentence that would otherwise be mandated by the state’s new “Three Strikes and You’re Out” law. Lewis was filled with optimism. At Delancey, she saw no paid professional social wo... posted on May 24 2013 (11,406 reads)

Korean shop owner and her wares. Photo: David Stanley. What do coffee growers in Ethiopia, hardware store owners in America, and Basque entrepreneurs have in common? For one thing, many of them belong to cooperatives. By pooling their money and resources, and voting democratically on how those resources will be used, they can compete in business and reinvest the benefits in their communities. The United Nations has named 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives, and indeed, co-ops seem poised to become a dominant business ... posted on May 30 2012 (9,518 reads)

Letters from la Pineta" by DailyGood volunteer Jane Jackson is more than a book -- it is a living gesture of love that wings its way between the visible and invisible world. A book that embodies hospitality in its deepest sense. For to truly welcome love and all its bright gifts we are required to keep our hearts open when grief's shadow descends. And that is exactly what Jane does in this book letter by heartfelt letter.  Written in the years following her beloved husband Blyden's passing, the letters are addressed to him, and to Jasmine their granddaughter who arrived on this Earth after he had "changed address." She writes them from Mornese -- the It... posted on Feb 14 2020 (4,700 reads)

For You, Tomorrow For Me.” This is the meaning behind ayni, a living Andean philosophy and practice that awakens a balanced and harmonious relationship between nature and man.  In Andean cosmology, this is expressed through complementary opposites such as male/female; sun/moon; gold/silver. Their interaction is a form of reciprocity called ayni.  One of the guiding principles of the way of life of the Quechua and Aymara people, this equilibrium of exchange and mutuality, which has been practiced since ancient times (since before the Incas), creates a cycle of connectivity and support essential to social and spiritual wellbeing. Anthropologist Catherine Allen... posted on Sep 4 2020 (4,975 reads)

the past five years, I haven’t lived anywhere for more than six months. I spent 28 days in Lisbon, three months in Bali, and a random half-year in downtown Las Vegas. With just two suitcases in tow, I was lucky enough to scuba-dive in Thailand, explore the ruins of Pompeii, and do karaoke with a Korean movie star. According to Melody Warnick, author of the new book This Is Where You Belong, that makes me a Mover with a capital M. And I have plenty of company: These days, the average American moves nearly 12 times in their lifetime, and 12 percent of Americans move in a given year. But moving continuously has its downsides, according to Warnick. Research sho... posted on Aug 31 2016 (14,884 reads)

things for people not because of who they are or what they do in return, but because of who you are.” --Harold Kushner Top 10 Kindness Stories of 2018 By KindSpring.org Every year KindSpring shares the top 10 most inspiring kindness stories that were featured on our website or weekly newsletter throughout the year. These stories range from chance encounters of anonymous acts of kindness to deliberate, thoughtful ways that ordinary people choose to make the world a better place for those around them. Here are some of our favorites from 2018! When Her Bike Got Stolen and Humanity Found It “My bike was stolen a week ago Saturday. It was half my fault, half ... posted on Jan 23 2019 (22,144 reads)

Earth is best known for its gorgeous organic chocolate products, the kind that satisfy beyond the tastebuds. I’d been an eater for some time, but it wasn’t until I got to chat with the founder Scott Fry that I came to understand where all the depth and richness of the product was coming from. The Loving Earth story began in 2007 when Scott and his partner Martha returned to Melbourne from Mexico with ingredients they’d ethically sourced to create raw chocolate. They set up shop in their apartment, creating creamy, cacao-y goodness, and it wasn’t long before the brand became a mainstay on the supermarket shelves. Loving Earth now make all kinds of food produc... posted on May 19 2019 (5,322 reads)

Ghandi once said “be the change that you want to see in the world”. This week Margaret O’Keeffe meets an inspirational businessman who has used obstacles as a means to create positive change for himself and his community. “In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back. " - Albert Camus I have walked in the semi-wilderness of Hampstead Heath in London for many years. One of the roads I use to enter the heath starts at the... posted on Sep 30 2016 (13,845 reads)

from DG Editors: Last week's Awakin Call featured Janessa Gans Wilder. A former CIA officer turned peace builder. If you'd like to help transcribe a few minutes of this powerful interview (which will be turned into an upcoming DailyGood feature) you can join the crowd-sourced effort here] Soldier, take me from this shelter’s cage. Give me back my life. In return, I’ll cover your back. I’ll be your canine warrior, your sixth sense. I’ll stand guard into the night and chase the demons away, the uninvited, cloaked in night sweats and darkness.  I will help you open your cage of solitude then walk tall by your side into the light of day.... posted on Nov 15 2018 (9,501 reads)

is like a spotlight—whatever it shines on becomes brighter in the mind. This knowledge can help us build compassion, says Paul Gilbert. Why do we need compassion? This week, we feature the video of a Science of a Meaningful Life presentation by Paul Gilbert, the author of Mindful Compassion. This essay is inspired by his talk. We need compassion because life is hard. We are all susceptible to diseases and injuries. Every one of us has a lifespan that had a start and will have an end. Just like you, I am vulnerable to disease. Just like you, I could have a blood test tomorrow that says my life is going to end. Just like you, I could hear that my son has been killed... posted on Jan 26 2014 (25,160 reads)

do we need compassion? We need compassion because life is hard. We are all susceptible to diseases and injuries. Every one of us has a lifespan that had a start and will have an end. Just like you, I am vulnerable to disease. Just like you, I could have a blood test tomorrow that says my life is going to end. Just like you, I could hear that my son has been killed in a car crash. Because these things can happen to any of us at any time, we’re all in this together. No one—no one—escapes. And the more we work together, the more we can make this journey of suffering bearable. The Buddhist tradition puts it this way: “Just like me, you want to be happy; just lik... posted on Jan 8 2014 (33,395 reads)

my 60th birthday, I challenged myself to do 60 very deliberate acts of kindness for 60 consecutive days and write about my experiences each day. Now I am no stranger to going out and doing things, but this is the first time I have ever been focused and paid attention to 'Kindness Acts' to the degree that was required in coming up with what I was going to do each day, preparing for it when I needed to, and then writing about it for 60 days. Here is what I want to share. In my experience, there is no such thing as a 'kindness act' There is no separate 'act' that can be called Kindness. I believe our true nature IS kindness and that when we are not acting out o... posted on Feb 13 2015 (35,950 reads)

few years ago, illustrator and editorial cartoonist Sarah Lazarovic felt like she was buying too much junk. So she stopped shopping for a year, then documented her withdrawals and, eventually, all the lessons and tips and tricks she learned about not buying things. Instead of buying the items she coveted, she made paintings of them. During that time, instead of buying the items she coveted, she made paintings of them. That led to the illustrated book calledA Bunch of Pretty Things I Did Not Buy. It also led to doing that same “covet counseling” for others. She calls her project the “Office of Divestment.” She will draw the thing you want to buy. You get t... posted on Sep 9 2016 (18,608 reads)

Mesa, Arizona, where the Hopi have lived for centuries. There is something liberating about going on a journey. It frees the spirit and opens the door to encountering new and exciting experiences. If you’re lucky, the fates might steer a bit of serendipity your way. A “wrong turn” on the road leads you to discover an old castle; an architectural gem you find fascinating. Maybe a chance meeting with a poet in a café livens up your sightseeing day and you remember it with a smile, long after the trip is comes to an end. These serendipities are gifts, a reward for getting off the couch and taking to the road! Sometimes the memory of your excursion is... posted on Jun 22 2017 (10,439 reads)

9, 2015 I first heard of Vaea Marx from John Toki. Vaea is an old family friend of the Toki family. John’s parents founded Leslie Ceramics Supply in Berkeley in 1946. Their business was built on integrity and a deep spirit of support for both aspiring and established artists who came into their shop, first as customers and then, quite often, as friends.        John told me stories of Vaea and Peter Voulkos, both friends of the Tokis, who worked closely together for decades. Then one day artist Ann Weber handed me a catalog saying, “Here’s an artist you really should interview. He’s been around for a long time and should get more atten... posted on Jan 31 2018 (18 reads)

Williams spends a day at social bite, a gourmet enterprise with a menu designed by a michelin-starred chef and a tasty twist – one in four staff were formerly homeless. Imagine the response if a homeless person walked into a café and asked for a free meal. Now imagine the same scenario but instead of being told where to go, homeless people are met with a smile and asked politely what they’d like to eat. And then asked if they’d like a free coffee to go with it. Perhaps even asked if they’d like a job. This isn’t just an imaginary exercise, it is Social Bite a string of sandwich shops in Edinburgh and Glasgow operating a suspended paym... posted on Dec 10 2017 (12,427 reads)

article first appeared on TruthAtlas. The boy is crouched over in the back of a van. Drops of blood from the cut on his head stain his shirt—he’d been hit with a bottle when he got into a fight. Stanislas Lukumba, a tall, good-looking, fortyish nurse, checks for shards of glass as the driver shines his cell phone on the wound. For the last eight years, Stanislas has made nightly runs in the van, a mobile clinic that operates in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He stops in neighborhoods where street kids hang out, and those in need come inside the van for help. Kapeta Benda Benda accompanies him, but his mission is different. When the va... posted on Jan 6 2015 (15,330 reads)

follows is the syndicated transcript of an Insights at the Edge podcast from SoundsTrue, with Tami Simon and Mark Nepo. You can listen to the audio version of the conversation here. Tami Simon: In this episode of Insights at the Edge, we have with us a beloved poet, storyteller, spiritual teacher, and friend, Mark Nepo. Let me tell you a little bit about Mark. He’s been called—you ready for this? — one of the finest spiritual guides of our time, and I think it’s true. In his 30s, Mark was diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma, a struggle which helped to form his philosophy of “experiencing life fully while staying in relationship to an unknowab... posted on Jul 16 2023 (3,679 reads)

Veh told me about Jane Wodening. She told me Jane was an astonishing writer, that she wrote about animals, creatures, about the intimate life of nature around her. That her writing was like no one else she knew of. And then she thought of Barry Lopez. Well, it was okay to bring in Barry Lopez in the same conversation. In fact, Anne was putting together an exhibit at the Di Rosa in Napa, California. It would be called “Entering the Wild” and would feature a hand-illustrated book by Barry Lopez along with works by five other artists. It would also feature several of Jane’s books of stories. Anne hoped to find a way to bring Jane out from Colorado for the opening. I remem... posted on Jun 3 2013 (16,195 reads)

auctions are getting fresh vegetables into food deserts, building community, and helping rural farmers earn a living. Boxes of jade beans are ready to be auctioned off at the Chesterhill Produce Auction in Chesterhill, Ohio, on Thursday, October 24, 2013. Photo by Brooke Herbert Hayes. Bob Fedyski was adamant: his friend, Chef Matt Rapposelli, needed to check out the Chesterhill Produce Auction. But for a while, Rapposelli stalled: he didn't believe an auction in rural, Appalachian Ohio could provide nearly enough produce for his needs—after all, as executive chef at Ohio University he was serving three meals a day to roughly 8,000 s... posted on Apr 26 2014 (8,440 reads)