“I’ve seen some of the biggest bitches come in, and they’re still alive.”

We are now dropped into the chute between Thanksgiving and New Year’s which can be full of grasping and confusion (for me). To turn in another direction, I wanted to share some lovely, thought-provoking content I came across recently that seems so appropriate for this newsletter.

It’s necessary to be reconnected to the truths that, while powerful, have a habit of receding in the face of entertainment and self-preoccupation.

So here’s three great pieces — two short essays and one podcast.

1) “ I’ll Tell You the Secret of Cancer “ by Caitlin Flanagan, The Atlantic magazine.

From one of my favorite writers at The Atlantic, the essay opens with:

“Are you someone who enjoys the unsolicited opinions of strangers and acquaintances? If so, I can’t recommend cancer highly enough.”

Always funny and unsparing, Flanagan shows the pivotal moment when she confessed to a clinical psychologist who works at an oncology center that “I wasn’t doing the work of healing myself. I wasn’t being positive.” The psychologist’s response taught Flanagan the “secret” of cancer.

2) “ Long Covid and the Blind Spots of American Medicine ,” a conversation between Ross Douthat and Megan O’Rourke for…