Mighty oaks stood guard at my country school, deeply rooted from the time before people began landing at Plymouth Rock. Their pungent perfume invited me to come and play. Their presence did not vary except in fall when their leaves turned brown and fell to the ground. They stood as strong as a bull and as independent as a Scotsman unaffected by the winds of circumstance. Such were our ancestors: the Olsons, Krugers, Matthews, Hamlins, and Mortons.

Each family came from similar backgrounds, but experienced life in different ways. These stories form a symbolic tapestry and create a record...

Regardless of field, from the art world to healthcare delivery, there is a growing need for practically useful theory and theoretically informed practice. The time is ripe for a collaborative, creative conversation among thinkers and doers who are concerned about the larger world and our role in it. Making Sense: Beauty, Creativity, and Healing is a collection of essays and creative expressions written and produced in relation to a colloquium that tried to address these matters at the Whitney Humanities Center of Yale University. Beginning with a powerful essay on the individually and...