Letters
The Loss Of Starry Nights
For thousands of years, the sight of a star-filled sky has been a unifying human inheritance. The invention of the electric lamp in the late 19th century changed that. This has come with so many benefits, but what do we lose when we can no longer see the starry skies?
Steady(ing) Presence
There are metaphoric mountains in the backdrop of all our lives. Standing strong through the different seasons, providing a steady reference point for all the change.
The Best Kind of Localist
Can you point north from where you're reading this right now? Do you know what grasses are native to your area? Many of us are urgently connected to global news yet know very little about where we're at: our local people and places.
You're Too Good For Perfection
Did you know that when we blush, our stomachs blush too? And that our eyes are sensitive enough to see the light of a candle 30 miles away? It's an amazing thing, our bodies. And its fragilty is a core part of that beauty.
Noticing Fragility
A crack, a wrinkle, or a moving cloud. If it's not forever, then it's fragile, at least on some timescale. Responsive to the sands of time. Alive. What reminds you of life's fragility?
Competing with the Metaverse
It's predicted that the metaverse will soon rival and then surpass physical realms in many ways. If that's true, we're going to be spending a whole lot more time online. But what might we miss if this happens?
What Might We Miss in the Metaverse?
Four fundamental ways in which our perception will be limited in virtual reality, and why this may be important.
Pointing at Things
There's something about making physical movements with the body that helps us to be more intentional. Getting out of our heads and into our bodies gives us more clarity.
Microseasons
Seasons give structure, meaning, and momentum to our lives. Japan, inspired by classical Chinese sources, has 72 of these microseasons. Each lasts just a few days, making note of tiny, delicate changes in nature.
Appreciating Incompleteness
It's not something we tend to look very favourably upon, loose ends. Unfinished projects, and limbo lands. But perhaps there's something to be appreciated about these moments of incompleteness.