Jean-Dominique Bauby, the editor-in-chief of the French fashion magazine Elle had everything going for him. At age 43, he had a great career, loved his fast cars and gourmet food. Then, life took an unexpected turn when one day, while driving his son to the theatre, he suffered a massive stroke. When he woke […]
Taoist tales are teaching stories that impart ancient wisdom through pithy narratives and interesting characters. “The Horse-breeder” is one such story by Lieh Tzu. The story is about Pen Lo, a seasoned horse breeder, who bred horses for the duke. As he stepped into the dusk of his life, the duke, who had relied on […]
One sunny afternoon, a hunter was out in the woods when he shot a deer, but in the process his arm got caught in a thorn bush. He cried out in pain as the thorn stuck deep in his arm. The thought of pulling out the thorn scared him as he feared the severe pain […]
There is an inspiring anecdote about the legendary Hindi poet and Padma Bhushan awardee, Shri Harivansh Rai Bachchan. He had a unique interest in collecting rocks. He would look at rocks, identify a nature-inspired image or figure in it, which he would later artistically bring to life with strokes of his paintbrush. This anecdote is […]
Over three decades back, author and space philosopher, Frank White coined the term “The Overview Effect” to describe a phenomenon reported after space voyages. When astronauts look back at the earth, they experience a profound appreciation for the fragility with which the Earth is held in space. It appears as a pale blue-green dot spinning […]
There is a fascinating true story about the golden Buddha Statue of the Wat Traimit temple in Bangkok, Thailand. Historians estimate that this statue must have been made somewhere between the 13th – 14thcentury. This statue stands ~9’8” tall and weighs 5.5 tonnes (of gold). A true masterpiece, it was revered by monks and appreciated by […]