Employing a DIY Mindset – More Musings in Missoula
As spring turns into summer, this is a time for many of us here in Missoula and Montana to think about Do It Yourself (DIY) projects. DIY, in my family, usually means things like landscaping or building a deck. But for many, it encompasses a wide variety of activities that can include cooking, arts and crafts, car maintenance, and outdoors adventures. DIY can be a great source of empowerment. Most
Simone de Beauvoir on Aging Well – And More Musings in Missoula
How often do we think about growing old? And just what do we think of when we do so? I know that here in my busy life in Missoula - I rarely think about it. And when I do, I focus on the circumstances around me that I hope for: a comfortable home, an ability to escape to the mountains in the summer, caring friends and family members around me.
COVID, Long-COVID, and Emotional Trauma
**Trigger Warning** This piece discusses suicide and suicidal thoughts, and some people might find it disturbing. If you or someone you know is suicidal, please, contact your physician, go to your local ER, or call the suicide prevention hotline in your country. For the United States, one can call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255), or message the Crisis Text Line at 741741. Both programs are free and
In Praise of Silence – More Musings From Missoula
100 years ago in Germany, the Jewish philosopher Theodor Lessing (1872 – 1933) wrote of the difficulty caused by the noise in his life as a thinker and writer. He further thought that noise caused invisible harm to everyone. He wrote that noise was “the revenge of those working with their hands on those head-workers who laid down their laws,” calling it a kind of aural narcotic that dulled the
On Developing Virtue
Many philosophers have put the development of virtue at the core of what it means to live a good life. However, today, the idea seems a bit antiquated. How often do we hear about virtues in popular television shows or on the news? Courage, humility, generosity, and patience are just a few historical virtues that continue to be praised by those who take time to study and develop them. Mindfulness,
Celebrating our Togetherness – Musings in Missoula
The writer Arthur C. Brooks recently offered a lesson in joy titled “The Subtle Mindset Shift That Could Radically Change the Way You See the World.” He cites the Dalai Lama’s advice that we are all interconnected, a realization that can help with loneliness and seeing things from a variety of perspectives. This advice, if contemplated regularly, can help us move smoothly through the inevitable frustrations and divisions we encounter