Let me tell you a very old story from the Lotus Sutra, one of the sacred texts of Buddhism. It’s more than 2,000 years old and comes from the teachings of Buddha toward the end of his life. Two good friends, one of whom is rich and one of whom…

In branches of math and science, the uppercase Greek letter Delta is a symbol used to represent change. It measures the difference in a quantity. I can think of no more fitting name for the variant that has stretched this pandemic into its second autumn. It’s impossible not to contemplate…

The animal that once lived in this little shell is called a chambered nautilus. It’s a mollusk, which means it’s a relative of the octopus and squid, but it’s the only mollusk with a hard shell for protection. This is one of the oldest creatures on the planet. For 400…

I attended my college reunion in June, a joyous occasion for noting the hundreds of roads that have spiraled out from a common epicenter. The turnout was impressive, with nearly half of my graduating class returning to campus for the weekend. It was wonderful to see old friends. …

My kids do have their own beds. I’m positive of this. I remember buying the frames and mattresses. They picked out their own bedding, put their favorite posters on the wall over their headboards, selected the right stuffed animals to sleep with. None of this matters. We may as well…