The Meaning of Your Life? Just Follow Your Tears of Joy
I saw a beautiful story the other day about a guy named Francis. Leaving his university dorm one morning, he found a group of friends waiting outside waving balloons. It wasn't his birthday, so Francis was confused. Then one of the friends stepped forward, holding a box. "There's no guarantee these will work," he said,
Are these the 3 Themes of Every Human Journey?
Apparently we are most likely to reflect on our lives at the turn of a new year or when we reach a milestone birthday. Well, a new year has come and a few months ago I turned 50—so I’ve been reflecting! And the discovery I’ve made is that these decades of adulthood, with all their
Boxing Day Blah
One of my favourite Christmas artworks is a painting called The Nativity by contemporary artist Brian Kershisnick. The first thing that strikes you is the hundreds of angels swooping across the canvas to get their first glimpse of Mary’s new-born son. After this your eye falls on two delightful details—first, that it isn’t Mary or
In the Age of the App, We Are All Rated and Ranked. Here’s How to Respond
From our performance at work to our social media use, in the age of the app we are all being rated and ranked. That's a problem, but here's something we can do about it.
The Real Reward of Success? The Doors We Get to Open For Others
The Lionesses have won Euro 2022. Nichelle Nichols made television history. And the possibilities both have opened makes me wonder that the real reward of our own success goes far beyond the positions or trophies we get.
When You’re Invited to the Palace, Don’t Turn Down the Offer
It was a day we won't forget, my wife Professor Merryn Voysey getting invited to Buckingham Palace. There was just one problem - I wasn't allowed in with her!
Those Who Survived Auschwitz Barely Speak of it. How Then Can We, So Glibly?
Auschwitz often comes up in religious conversations. Christians use it to show what happens when a nation forgets God and nationalism takes His place. Others use it to argue an all-powerful God couldn't exist. But when survivors barely speak of it, how can any of us turn it into an argument at all?
We Don’t Bow to Zeus Anymore, But We’re No Less Religious
Wander Athens' Ancient Agora marketplace and you'll find altars to yesteryear's gods. We might not bow to Zeus or sacrifice bulls on the Acropolis anymore, but are we any less religious today? I don't think so.
Humility Hasn’t Always Been a Virtue. Here’s How its Meaning Changed
No one appreciates arrogance. In fact, along with kindness and generosity, humility may be our most-cited quality of a good person. All this is fascinating when you consider that humility hasn’t always been a virtue. Here's how its meaning changed.
There’s a Word for What I’m Experiencing: Wintering. Maybe You’re Feeling it Too
I came across a helpful word recently: wintering. Author Katherine May uses it to describe those moments when life turns cold through crisis or loss and we find ourselves living at a different, slower pace to everyone else. As winter is a time of retreat and hibernation for much of the natural world, wintering is the