UNBURDEN
YOURSELF

Photo by Will Francis on Unsplash “The exercise of vital powers along lines of excellence in a life affording them scope.” Ancient Greek definition of happiness. Taken from “ The Greek Way, ” by Edith Hamilton, 1930. In more familiar terms: happiness is the pursuit of improving one’s mind, body, and soul, in a community that enables one to reach their full potential. For when you could use some guidance. “With the term vita activa , I propose to designate three fundamental

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash “Let me know do I still got time to grow? Things ain’t always set in stone that be known, let me know [...] Seems like street lights, glowing, happen to be just like moments, passing, in front of me. So I hopped in the cab, and I paid my fare; see, I know my destination, but I’m just not there.” Lyrics from “Street Lights” by extraordinarily talented musician and notoriously troubled human Ye, (aka Kanye West), from his 2008 album 808s and

“You men of England, who have no right in this kingdom of France, the king of heaven orders and commands you through me, Joan the Maid, to abandon your strongholds and go back to your own country. If not, I will make a war-cry that will be remembered forever.” What Joan of Arc said to the English at Orleans, on the 5 th of May, 1429. Two years and 26 days later, likely before her 20 th birthday, the French government and Catholic Church publicly burned her to death for get

“The western land, nervous under the beginning change. The Western States, nervous as horses before a thunder storm. The great owners, nervous, sensing a change, knowing nothing of the nature of the change. The great owners, striking at the immediate thing, the widening government, the growing labor unity; striking at new taxes, at plans; not knowing these things are results, not causes. Results, not causes; results, not causes. The causes lie deep and simply—the causes are a

“Nakiketas said: ‘There is that doubt, when a man is dead—some saying, he is; others, he is not. This I should like to know, taught by thee; this is the third of my boons.’ Death said: ‘On this point even the gods have doubted formerly; it is not easy to understand. That subject is subtle. Choose another boon, O Nakiketas, do not press me, and let me off that boon.’ Nakiketas said: ‘On this point even the gods have doubted indeed, and thou, Death, hast declared it to be not

The Rainbow, 1878, by George Innes This is the first post of a series I'm calling Conversation Deraillers. Each post will consist of two or more quotes and/or passages from various works, from books to scripts to lyrics. These quotes are generally topical or interesting, and are guaranteed to derail (or even end) any conversation when said, shouted, or sung aloud, as desired or required. The series as a whole (which I'll probably collect into an ePub file once it gets long e