I didn’t expect a mountain to teach me about kindness when we journeyed into Japan’s mountains and went on a pilgrimage. Each day meant climbing up 2500’(762m) and descending just as far. Not just once, but several times a day. I knew ahead of time that on one of those days, I would need to trek twenty miles (32km) to

I’ve always appreciated wide open spaces — the chance to be alone in nature, to listen to birds, watch an osprey hunt fish, and breathe deeply in the quiet, far from human activity. Lots of room. Crowded places where people push their way to the front of the line, talk loudly on their phones, or hurry to get somewhere can

Some people love horror: terrifying movies, distressing books, and shocking television shows. I asked my friend, Adrienne, who likes such things. “Why?” “Oh, I get such a rush,” she said. “It’s a thrill to confront my fear from a safe distance.” She clapped her hands. “Besides, it isn’t real.” “I think I understand, but I still can’t watch, listen, or