On this day in 2005, three years before he was slain by depression, David Foster Wallace delivered his unforgettable meditation on the meaning of life – perhaps the greatest commencement address of all time themarginalian.org/2012/09/12/thi…

Van Gogh on the beauty of sorrow and the enchantment of storms, in nature and in life themarginalian.org/2018/08/22/van…

Poetic ecology and the biology of wonder – superb read for anyone who loves nature and its resonance with our human nature themarginalian.org/2023/12/05/bio…

You know that the price of life is death, that the price of love is loss... Love anyway. themarginalian.org/2024/03/22/lov…

User-friendly self-deception – philosopher Amelie Rorty, born on this day in 1932, on turning our delusions into a source of power themarginalian.org/2023/02/15/use…

“Hate, in the long run, is about as nourishing as cyanide.”“Hate, in the long run, is about as nourishing as cyanide.”

On this day in 1978, Kurt Vonnegut delivered one of the greatest commencement addresses of all time themarginalian.org/2014/05/12/kur…

'The atmosphere resplendently clear; the sky an intense blue; the profound valleys; the wild broken forms... I felt glad that I was alone: it was like watching a thunderstorm, or hearing in full orchestra a chorus of the Messiah.'

The stunning flower paintings of the forgotten botanical artist and poet Clarissa Munger Badger, born on this day in 1806, who inspired Emily Dickinson themarginalian.org/2022/04/24/cla…

What makes a person – philosopher Amelie Rorty, born on this day in 1932, on the 7 layers of identity, in literature and life themarginalian.org/2016/03/02/ame…

“The truth is, most of us discover where we are headed when we arrive.”

On this day in 1990, Calvin and Hobbes creator Bill Watterson delivered his magnificent commencement address on the creative life: themarginalian.org/2013/05/20/bil…

This week's highlightable delights, in one place – the art of self-revision and the courage to change your mind/life, what it's like to be a falcon, flowers for things you don't know how to say mailchi.mp/themarginalian…

Water – a stunning celebration of the element of life based on Indian folklore themarginalian.org/2018/08/29/wat…

Literary ecstasy – Virginia Woolf describes a psychedelic experience themarginalian.org/2018/08/28/vir…

Against self-criticism – the wonderful Adam Phillips on how our internal critics enslave us and how to break free themarginalian.org/2016/05/23/aga…

The Messiah in the mountain – the young Darwin on wonder and the spirituality of nature themarginalian.org/2024/05/19/dar…

Cry, Heart, but Never Break – a remarkable Danish illustrated meditation on loss and life brainpickings.org/2016/03/08/cry…

Lorraine Hansberry, who died on this day in 1965 having charted new horizons of possibility for women of color despite a lifelong struggle with depression, on the most reliable antidote to the inner gloom themarginalian.org/2019/10/07/lor…

100 years ago today, Beatrice Harrison and the nightingales — an improbable story about the three most interesting things in life, the things that make it worth living: nature, human nature, and their cross-pollination in music themarginalian.org/2022/06/05/the…

This week's highlightable delights, in one place – the art of self-revision and the courage to change your mind, what it's like to be a falcon, flowers for things you don't know how to say: mailchi.mp/themarginalian…

When debate is futile – on Bertrand Russell's birthday, his remarkable response to a fascist's provocation themarginalian.org/2016/10/06/ber…