Two thousand years ago, Marcus Aurelius, Stoic philosopher and Emperor of Rome, would start keeping a journal—notes to himself about learning how to live. In one entry he writes, “Whenever something happens that might cause you distress, remember to rely on this principle: this is not bad luck, but bearing it valiantly is good luck.” 

His timeless meditations on how to be a better person, newly translated and annotated in Robin Waterfield’s book, capture the universality of meeting life’s … [Read more...] about Marcus Aurelius: Meditations

Emily Dickinson’s (1830-1886) spare poems, with their dashes, singular punctuation, capitalization, and original ideas—were “trailblazers” for their time. She would confide to a friend: “There is always one thing to be grateful for—that one is one’s self & not somebody else.” Yet her poems were deemed too unconventional by the publishing community of the mid 1800’s, not to mention that she was a woman!  

Even Emily’s devoted friend and confidante Thomas Higginson, with whom she … [Read more...] about Figuring

Abolitionist and feminist Lucy Stone became the first woman from Massachusetts to earn a college degree. Just before graduation at Oberlin College in 1847, she was awarded a great honor—to write a speech for commencement. The only caveat? She had to choose a man to read it. She declined.

But she would make her voice heard as she traveled throughout the country speaking out publicly against slavery at a time when it was considered verboten for women to speak in public. Her speeches would … [Read more...] about Leaving Coy’s Hill

Sister Corita Kent’s (1918-1986) artwork and philosophy inspired people to observe life up close, like a microscope, or to look at something upside down. She encouraged people to find joy, reject criticism, and to keep on creating whatever is in your heart and mind—to see beyond what is and to imagine all that could be. 

She made bold art pieces that spoke out against injustice, poverty, and war, and inspired others to stand up for their beliefs. But at the age of 51, she broke away from the … [Read more...] about Make Meatballs Sing