Let's Talk About The Art of Living! With Sharon Lebell

New Friends Parting words resonate. Sharon Lebell concluded our conversation by saying we should “rescue philosophy from the philosophers, rescue virtue from the sanctimonious and rescue art from the critics.” Provocative stuff. But how we got to that point makes for even more gripping listening. Sharon, a composer, author, and hammer dulcimer player, is also a mother and a thinker. And she is kind. She gave time and thought generously to our conversation. She even fessed up to a love affair with a very old white man. And both she and Thich Nhat Hanh wrote books with the same title! Our fondness for the Stoics is what first brought us together. But we connected, too, in our love of music and distillation. She distilled many “I/we” virtues (prudence, temperament, judgment, courage, acceptance, altruism) into one: kindness. “Kindness is paramount,” she mused, “the other virtues are secondary expressions of kindness.” We spoke about raising children, moral education, the danger of idolatry, seeking virtue and how to live a good life. What’s a good life? Daring to place your bet on meaningfulness in an apparently absurd world. What’s the best we can do? No credos: focus on self-reflection; act accordingly. And seeking virtue? Lebell called it “a series of micro-pivots.” Away from the bad, toward the good. “In the aggregate,” she said, “they add up to beauty.” I’m still chewing on this conversation. Sharon Lebell must have experienced vulnerability, but we didn’t get into that. Her humility showed through in her pursuit of connection. After all, what do we have but each other? Her music and writings and some small, sensible things live on her website. Oh, and this podcast lays out a banquet for thought. Hungry? Just press play. More about Sharon:www.sharonlebell.comMore about Fief and her Leadership Programs:[email protected]