Soul in a Shoebox
In difficult times, carry something beautiful in your heart.
-Pascal
What is Soul in a Shoebox?
Fifteen years ago, I became a collector.
No, not of cars or money, but papers.
I was going through a difficult time, and I began collecting inspirational writings to get me through the day –a quote, an insight, a story.
I tossed them in a shoebox and
would read them over and over.
Fifteen years later, I’m still collecting because
the words change me.
In those years, I have filled notebooks
Now a cancer diagnosis prompts me to distill these random pages and pass them on.
When I first asked an editor to help me, I explained:
“If you put a blank page in front of me and ask me to write what feeds my soul,
It would be hard to put in words."
But if you rifle through the shoebox, it’s there.
He understood I wanted him to help me pass along
those things that over the years had fed my
soul, and he nicknamed our project:
Soul in a Shoebox
Categories
Ordinary people do extraordinary things. Here are my favorite stories of people using courage,
wisdom, and kindness to solve a problem or resolve a conflict.
When a book, lecture,
or podcast prompts me
to take notes or get out the
yellow highlighter,
it’s time to share it.
Enjoy an assortment
of one liners and
short paragraphs
on living life
from a variety of authors.
That which we love,
we want to protect.
Celebrate the beauty and
awe of nature and how it can be protected.
What does recent research say
about optimizing health
through nutrition, exercise, sleep,
the brain, and
the gut microbiome.
What ideas or people have most
shaped you into who you are?
Here are the ideas and people
that have most
formed me over the years.
Copyright 2025
Jeanette Ezzo