Kevin Warstadt

Blood Meridian

I was speaking to my brother recently about the great works of humanity. I consider Blood Meridian to be among them. It seems to me to exist outside of time. The intro has been echoing in my mind since I read it a few years ago. In honor of Cormac McCarthy, I include it here.Continue reading “Blood Meridian”

Today

As I sit in my car before work, listening to bird song, I think of what the day will bring. I know that I am very small. I will face challenges, but I should remember that things do not happen to me but merely happen. I have an opportunity today to do good. If IContinue reading “Today”

Quote of the day 06-29-23

Here’s one from Alan Watts. “Man suffers only because he takes seriously what the gods made for fun.”

To be

What is it to live? To be a seedling, reaching for the sun.

Quote of the day 06/28

From Abraham Lincoln: You cannot now believe that you will ever feel better. But this is not true. You are sure to be happy again. Knowing this, truly believing it will make you less miserable now.

Nansen kills the cat

Here is a koan that I quite like called Nansen kills the cat from the Mumonkan or The Gateless Gate. I have taken it from the dewdrop.org. Once the monks of the eastern and western Zen halls in Master Nansen’s temple were quarrelling about a cat. Nansen held up the cat and said, “You monks! If one ofContinue reading “Nansen kills the cat”

Stoic thought of the day 06/27

Here’s another one from Marcus Aurelius. “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”

Stoic thought of the day 06/26

Here’s one from Seneca. “Things are only ill that are ill taken; and it is not for a man of worth to think himself better or worse for the opinion of others.”

Stoic thought of the day 06/23/23

Here’s another one from Epictetus. “First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.”

Stoic thought of the day 6/22/23

Here’s one from Marcus Aurelius. Say to yourself first thing in the morning: today I shall meet people who are meddling, ungrateful, aggressive, treacherous, malicious, unsocial. All this has afflicted them through their ignorance of true good and evil. But I have that the nature of good is what is right, and the nature ofContinue reading “Stoic thought of the day 6/22/23”