The image of a large oak tree in the middle of a field is one of my favorite companions. Decades of slow growth have created a complex system of powerful roots that integrate themselves into the earth. Its trunk is incredibly strong; yet its canopy is light and flexible. Its outstretched branches provide shade for living things to rest in; and space for them to nest in. It gracefully accepts the seasons that come — the ones that strip it bare and the ones that renew it again. It represents the kind of life that I want — a life of depth, flexibility, hospitality, and gratitude. This publication is dedicated to ideas that help cultivate such a life.