Essays

Almost every game show has a timer. The contestant stands there, sweating under lights bright enough to interrogate a ham sandwich, while a giant clock ticks down in the background.

We lose something, and immediately the mind goes to work. Where did I put it?Who moved it?Why does this always happen to me?I just had it a minute ago. It

“If love were a virus, we would be begging for an epidemic.” At first, the sentence sounds funny, almost like a bumper sticker written by someone who has had too

It may not look impressive hanging on the wall. Its handle may be worn smooth from years of use. The head may be scratched, dented, discolored, and spotted with rust.

Heaven and hell may be among the oldest ideas ever used to shape human behavior. One is offered as the ultimate reward. The other is presented as the ultimate threat.

There is an old saying that sounds practical, impatient, and very worldly: Lead, follow, or get out of the way. It is usually said by someone who is tired of

We hear of suicides almost every day. Some are famous. Most are private. Some make the news. Most pass quietly through a family, a workplace, a neighborhood, or a circle

On every long voyage, there comes a moment when going back is no longer the safest choice. Pilots know this. Sailors know this. Explorers know this. Anyone who has ever

You are sitting alone in a theater with only one seat. There is no aisle. No lobby. No exit sign glowing in the dark. No helpful teenager with a flashlight.

Sometimes the leaders are not who you expect. In fact, if we look around today, we might wonder if our expectations were ever very accurate in the first place. We