On a personal level, I have found that keeping reminders of mortality close at hand provides me with the clarity to see what truly matters to me, and the courage necessary to live a life aligned with my values. Because I have, for decades, been asking myself what I would regret if I were to die – and because I made changes in accord with those answers – I live a rich and fulfilling life that I appreciate every day.
~ Joanna Ebenstein from, Reflections on mortality can help you live well now – here’s how
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Hear! Hear! And I’ll keep talking and writing about memento mori.
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Passion makes us feel, but never see clearly.
~ Bulwer-Lytton
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Adapted from a series of Instagram posts by Weiss, the film blends reenactments, live action and, of course, some exquisite microscopy to explore how his tendency to seek ‘comfort in unusual places’ culminated in his spending up to 16 hours at a time with only single-celled organisms as company.
~ from, A body called life
Watch.
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Ritual is not the re-enactment of a past event. It is the re-enactment of meaning.
~ David Whyte
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He smiled a little. He looked forward, thinking, perhaps about the movie, as if it hadn’t crossed his mind for a long time. Then he grinned and said: “Money job.”
~ Ben Stiller from, Gene Hackman’s Simple Truth
It’s not clear, of course, exactly how Hackman meant for Stiller to take his simply reply. But, having seen The Poseidon Adventure, I’m taking it this way: Hackman is a consummate professional, able to deliver. “You need what done? I can do that.” That’s a professional.
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[Do not disquiet] yourself by running about from place to place. Thrashing around in that way indicates a mind in poor health. In my view, the first sign of a settled mind is that it can stay in one place and spend time with itself.
~ Seneca
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What’s the habit that’s give me the most benefit? I’m not certain if it’s journaling or meditation. I have a habit of reviewing previous-years’ journal entries each morning. Reading the one-year-ago entry is enlightening. Reading the 10-years-ago entry often induces vertigo; who was that person?
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Consider this mindset:
never in a hurry
never worried
never desperate
never stopping shortAs Epictetus once summarized his entire philosophy: Persist and resist. Persist in your efforts. Resist giving in to distraction, discouragement, or disorder.
~ Ryan Holiday
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This is just one of countless times I’ve strolled this connector-trail. It’s different every time. This time, I was literally arrested mid-stride to snap this.
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