Marietta McCarty
is a New York Times bestselling author, philosopher, and teacher. She defines philosophy as “the art of clear thinking," and invites every one she encounters (or anyone who picks up one of her books) into the good life, marked by simplicity and the fullness of life's greatest treasures.
Dawn never flashes her signal on an old day. Thank you, pansy and bluebird pairings. Freshly-squeezed limes. Coffee aromas. Simmering onions. Loosening muscles. missing capital letters, thank you. Thank you, Webb Telescope. Thank you, awaited envelope. Thank you, cracks in everything. Seeing hearts singing, thank you
Read MoreFor all the truths revealed by philosophical clear thinking and re-thinking, the necessity of gratitude for experiencing joy may well be the most important.
Read MoreI can’t begin to address the “educational system,” but I can point to an educational beacon and the people who make it work. Is the work hard? Yes, absolutely. I don’t know about its “system,” but Jack Jouett’s bedrock philosophy of love serves everyone well. Single purpose commitment to each student elevates the humanity of all.
Read MoreWhile it was a rainy day in Cincinnati, it was sunny inside Evanston Academy. I thought about Plato’s image of wisdom growing as we exit a dark cave and gradually climb into the sunlight of mental clarity. What did the child philosophers teach me? I should continue spending time in classrooms with small chairs. I can gorge on simple pleasures, sunup, sundown.
Read MoreI invite you to listen or view our conversation. Being mindful of the swirl of busyness and stopping it…learning to concentrate and listen so that good conversation can happen…talking about key ideas that will serve children (and adults) well as building blocks for good living...expressing appreciation for life’s abundant simple pleasures...growing in gratitude…valuing the give-and-take of genuine communication—just a sampling of our lively, spontaneous dialogue.
Read MoreMy father had a favorite passage, still marked by yellowing paper in his tattered biblical copy, from The Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews: “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (13:2). How much this sentiment meant to him has stayed with me over the years. The following story captures its essence. It was passed along to me Peter’s father, a man much-loved by my own.
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“Give me hope, help me cope / with this heavy load,” George Harrison sang and strummed with three of his British friends in 1973. Wrong weighs like a wet blanket on our souls. Performing his song years later, Harrison’s prayer remains ours: “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth).” Hearts seek light—hands want holding.
twenty-twenty-five / give us love…connect the dots… / our new-fashioned plans