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.
“We’ve got to get some light in here.” The gardens of our hearts beg for starting over, untying knots, pulling weeds, letting go, opening up. Reaching higher, turning over, clearing away, giving thanks, unwinding brambles. Laboring today for tomorrow’s promise.
Read MoreCan we defeat our lapses into stereotyping? Can we free others and ourselves? Yes, we can. It’s never too late. Freedom always matters.
Read MoreRepresentatives Lewis and Ocasio-Cortez have changed the soundtrack of this country. Often captured with their heads thrown back in laughter or dancing, these two messengers radiate joy in spite of it all. They inspire us to keep the faith, try harder, do more. And laugh and dance.
Read MoreMy Black teachers today offer perspectives only they can. I’m humbly astounded at how much I learn daily, how much I didn’t know. Forget my assumptions. I know some things—my instructors Know Things. Here’s where I turn—just some of my mentors.
Read MoreYes! I present as exhibit A+ the ordinary, and therefore extraordinary, moments that revitalized my spirit.
Read MoreI appreciate my grandmother and father in a spanking new way. Neither talked about past hardship—they did what needed doing. How humbling, their sacrifices. What little I know of deprivation or terror. I must latch on to this worthy perspective. “Getting over myself” seems the least I can do. May empathy always triumph over ego.
Read MoreGood communication always eases dis-stress, and especially now. Trust in the rewards of listening and being heard, touching through the distancing. Don’t lose faith in our human sameness—revel in its proof. Closed in, we can nevertheless open up.
Read MoreAccept fear, anxiety, heartbreak, mood swings, and mind games as part of daily life. You are not alone. Nothing has proven more dramatically how interconnected we are—the planet and its inhabitants just one wool scarf, knitted together for warmth. All stitches must hold. Empathy cements those stitches.
Read MoreI was born in Stuart Circle Hospital, named after the striking sculpture of the Confederate general at the circle’s center. Over the years from the backseat of the family station wagon, I anticipated the galloping horse as we got closer, turning to look back at the rider’s plumed hat and cape. My last image was always of the spurs on the heel his left boot, barely secured in the stirrup. Fortunately, mine is not the only imagination captured by this sculpture. Meet Kehinde Wiley’s 2019 re-imagination of another whinnying horse and purposeful rider.
Read MoreOld friends root our lives—our bonds remain the same despite time’s passing. I no longer wonder why I feel comforted and assured, despite chaos rumbling, local to global. In the midst of an ever-changing world, old friends stand taller than the test of time.
Read MoreArthur Ashe’s life could have been the long story of all the things that he could not do. Instead, through inner resolve and self-confidence, he did it all. What a fine example he is in these dark days in the United States. He suggests to each of us a way forward. In Arthur’s words: “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
Read MoreYes, that’s what books do—link different worlds. Books supply tickets to travel through time to new places. They spark our imaginations as our spirits soar far and free. Books motivate and change us. Books introduce us to ourselves and humanity. And most of all, they make us aware of human sameness.
Read MoreHand healed. Book completed. My hand and book are releasing together. Massage therapy and the writing craft: two peas in a pod.
Read MoreSo, how could I best honor generations of lives lost on this Memorial Day 2018? Not having served in the military, how can I personally relate to this kind of service? Days removed from Memorial Monday, I realize that I must continue to fight for "liberty and justice for all." I must stay on "Active Duty" against forces that can destroy the United States from within. Bigotry, cruelty, greed, and self-serving ignorance are powerful foes. Unfortunately, every day offers opportunities to combat them.
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Hoagie and hardball no-hitters. Khanna and Grijalva no-quitters.
times are a-changin’ / turning the page on this year / more love and more joy