This image with the caption, “Parisians navigate flood waters by walking across rows of chairs, 1924”, reminded us of the essential nature of improvisation.
Read More
S.B. Dworski on Escape, Noodles, Ecstasy
Fueled by a quarantine fantasy of hiking the Appalachian Trail, S.B. Dworski’s path took her into unexpected territory…
Read More
Hope and Direction in RBG’s Enduring Wisdom
Reflecting on the passing of legendary Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, I found her life and words full of hope, wisdom, and direction.
Read MoreIf we opened people up, we’d find landscapes.Agnes Varda
I had a flashback of something that never existedLouise Bourgeois
Isamu Noguchi on Reality as a Sculptural Experience
At the Noguchi Museum’s instagram, we saw a quote from Isamu Noguchi that changed our view of sculpture AND reality. It accompanied photographs of blind art students who toured the Museum with the sculptor in 1987. Their transformative effect surprised us.
Read MoreOur actions entrench the power of the light on this planet. Every positive thought we pass between us makes room for more light. And if we do more than think, then our actions clear the path for even more light. That is why forgiveness and compassion must become more important principles in public life.John Lewis
The Ancient Formula for Gratitude
Opening at random Richard Powers’ remarkable novel The Overstory, we found the ancient formula for gratitude.
Read More
‘The Pandemic is a Portal’ Arundhati Roy
In this short, potent video, Arundhati Roy reads from her essay “The Pandemic is a Portal” It is at once a question to hold in mind, an invitation, and a call to arms.
Read More
Life Got Wild, Be Back in a Week (with Haiku)
Life got so wild of late, I’ve got to take a little break from publishing Improvised Life. I’ll be back in a week with new articles and the spirit of this haiku by Buson.
Read More
Ai Weiwei: On Home, Living in Isolation, Hope
Ai Weiwei’s thinking on purpose, home, isolation, hope are an insightful lens through which to consider our current circumstance. And especially, how the impossible becomes possible.
Read More
Uplifting Finds, Visual Poetry, Tender Blessing
Like the I.C.U. nurse in the breathtaking image, above, we are looking for refreshment, air, and sky. Here’s what we found…
Read MoreOur heads are round so thought can change direction.Allen Ginsberg
Pat Steir: How to Occupy This Time on Earth
Pat Steir is one of our favorite artists for the dazzling beauty and surprise of her work. She speaks eloquently about the dark time we find ourselves in.
Read More
Kevin Kelly’s 68 Bits of Seriously Good Advice
To celebrate his 68th birthday, Kevin Kelly compiled some of the gold he’s learned over his seven decades. The brilliant list provides a roadmap to wholeness and positivity.
Read More
W.S. Merwin On Hope and What to Do On the Last Day of the World
In this short video, the renown poet and activist speaks eloquently about hope and our interconnectedness, two themes so many are working to encompass.
Read More
Jenny Holzer’s Very Important Messages
Fifty years after the first Earth Day, Jenny Holzer’s timely messages resonate more deeply than ever as we face unprecedented global health and environmental crises. As does her succinct commentary.
Read More
5 Short Fierce Statements that Help ‘Dig a Cave into the Future’
In the face of relentlessly bad news, I randomly came across some powerful statements that snapped me awake from the daze I found myself in. Maybe they will do the same for you.
Read MoreWe imagine things...that we wouldn't be able to survive, but in fact, we do survive. We have no choice, so we do it.Joan Didion
Toni Morrison: What to Do In Times of Dread
On the great instagram Nitch, we found an excerpt from an essay Toni Morrison wrote for the Nation in 2015. It seems an extraordinarily fitting message for THIS very dark time.
Read More