“In every act observe the things which come first, and those which follow it; and so proceed to the act,” writes Epictetus in his famous manual Enchiridion. “If you do not, at first you will approach it with alacrity, without having thought of the things which will follow; but afterward, when certain base (ugly) things … Read more
“I love the stillness of early summer evenings downtown … the entire stretch along the quiet docks all of this comforts me with sadness when on these evenings I enter the solitude of their ensemble,” Fernando Pessoa wrote while finding calm amid uncertainty and disquiet. “In this moment of seeing, I suddenly find myself isolated, … Read more
“We should choose for our friends men who are, as far as possible, free from strong desires,” Seneca wrote while contemplating friendship, “for vices are contagious, and pass from a man to his neighbor, and injure those who touch them.” Thinking about this timeless advice made me wonder about the opposite side of friendship — … Read more
“My religion is kindness,” the Dalai Lama is said to have said. These words remind me that the movement of the heart as we practice kindness mirrors the movement of the heart when we let go of conditioned views about ourselves and others. Every person has been conditioned to think and behave in a certain … Read more