Thomas Hobbes (1588—1679) was one of England's greatest political thinkers. What's less well known is that he was also an early fitness fanatic. He would go out for a long walk every morning, striding quickly up hills so as to get out of breath. In...
Question 1: BELOVED MASTER, MY GIRLFRIEND TOLD ME I AM A LITTLE BORING, NOT VERY JUICY, VERY DEPENDENT AND A VICTIM. THEN I FELT VERY GUILTY AND DEPRESSED AND UTTERLY UNWORTHY. I BEGAN TO FEEL INSIDE ME A BIG NO: TOWARDS EXISTENCE, LIFE, LOVE, YOU. MEANWHILE I...
It’s bedtime. Kneeling at the foot of my bed, head bowed, hands together, I murmur my prayer in a low voice. I’m ten. After a brief review of the day’s sins, I make a request of God, our all-powerful Creator. He knows how regularly I...
Once upon a time, a certain King was hunting in a great forest, and he chased a wild beast so eagerly that none of his attendants could follow him. When evening drew near he stopped and looked around him, and then he saw that he...
We have forgotten who we really are and consequently have taken on a new identity that leaves us empty inside, because it doesn’t fit in with the way we live today (whatever we may have materially). In order to make up for this feeling of...
There is another trick which, as soon as it is practicable, makes all others unnecessary. Instead of working on your opponent's intellect by argument, work on his will by motive; and he, and also the audience if they have similar interests, will at once be...
Whatever happens around you, don’t take it personally. Using an earlier example, if I see you on the street and I say, “Hey, you are so stupid,” without knowing you, it’s not about you; it’s about me. If you take it personally, then perhaps you believe you...
I felt unable to go upstairs. My life was wrecked. I thought vaguely of running away and never returning or of drowning myself. I sat down in the dark on the bottom step of our outside staircase, withdrew into myself and abandoned myself to my misery. Lina found me there...
What are the essential things that make a wife happy? I DON'T KNOW ABOUT WIVES. I'm single. You're asking the wrong person. But I have noticed many husbands. So it's not my experience, just my opinion: There are two things necessary to make a wife happy. The first...
A few years ago when I traveled to New Zealand to do a conference, I stayed in a hotel in Christchurch. One evening I was thirsty and started looking for a Coke machine. When I couldn’t find one and I saw a door marked “Staff,”...
