Courtney Martin examines the "tragic gaps" in the creative life — between our hard realities and what we dream is possible.
writing
View
- List View
- Standard View
- Grid View
38 Results
How do we make sense of our life and work in the context of the generations that come before us? An interview with Terese Marie Mailhot about her debut memoir, "Heart Berries."
Given that most information on the internet can remain there forever, to what extent should we be able to exercise the “right to be forgotten,” to disassociate ourselves with information about our past?
For Omid Safi, writing his weekly On Being column has been an exercise in planting seeds of joy and love, in service of cultivating justice in this world.
Gentle guidance for how to write — or simply to stay centered in our lives — from the poet Wendell Berry.
A poem from Mary Oliver transforms the depths of winter into wonder at its otherworldly beauty.
From the dreary lyrics of “Eleanor Rigby” to Lennon’s infamous remarks on Christianity, The Beatles seemed to embody a godless skepticism about the world. But was their outlook really so bleak? Kenneth Womack on the deeper message at the heart of their music: a life-affirming, transcendent sense of communal good.
A poetic reminder for writers: that the simplest words can be the most powerful.
A woman finds the gift of stories to ground us and give shape to our suffering — by teaching creative writing to in-patient adolescents on the psychiatry floor of Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Sometimes we need to trick our hearts to make great art — and do the things that most scare us.
Literature has the unique power to make us feel less alone in the world by elevating our deepest stories and connecting us beyond the divides of time, space, and politics.
A writer turns away from what's toxic on social media and chooses self-care in this cultural moment.
A robust hope can be found in the work and life of Langston Hughes, infused with a visionary love for words and the world.
Our dreams can be great motivators. But what if what we aspire to is already within our grasp? A poem on letting go of the stress of ambition and embracing our innate potential.
Unwavering gratitude can be an intimidating ideal. Sharon Salzberg examines gentle attention to the positive as a generous alternative to our negativity bias.
In journalism and in life, a generous understanding of people's stories is crucial. Courtney Martin with more questions and counsel for imagining each other in all our complexity.
The enduring beauty of nature can be a comfort, but sometimes our pain needs a more empathetic salve. Parker Palmer turns to the unique, healing power of language in times of darkness and hardship.
In an information-saturated world, it's the power of poetry and art that helps us transcend a steady stream of depressing news reports and partisan diatribes and process just how badly we’re hurting as a country.
Previous
The Pause
Join our constellation of listening and living.
The Pause is our seasonal Saturday morning ritual of a newsletter. Replenishment and invigoration in your inbox. Wisdom to take into your week. And when you sign up, you’ll receive ongoing, advance invitations and news on all things On Being.
Search results for “”
View
- List View
- Standard View
- Grid View
Filters
Listen
Read