Sometimes, I name my summers. The summer of 2008 was The Summer of My Western Bluebird. I surprised myself at the joy I felt with every sapphire swoop into the birdhouse and out again.
Read More“Dear Mom and Dad: College is hell.” At seventeen, having been dumped at a large university where I knew no one, I thought I was entitled to adapt the “war is hell” metaphor. Although I knew that taking exams was a far cry from getting shot at, I did see my dorm room as a kind of bunker, outsiders as enemies, and much of what was happening to me as grenades launched with, as the army says, “extreme prejudice.”
Read MoreIt was a typical lunch with my friend. As he sat down, he set his phone face up on the table. I grimaced inside. Inevitably, the phone would ring or buzz. My friend would look at it and decide whether he should respond immediately or not.
Read MoreReflecting on his own book, "Awakening the Quieter Virtues," and on "The Road to Character" by David Brooks, Spencer will discuss the importance of developing values that shape our lives and relationships.
Read MoreWhy should I be content when there are so many problems facing our world? Is worry the same thing as discontentment — and isn’t worrying simply a normal part of everyday life?
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