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Joshua Sheppard

Joshua Sheppard

19
May
Reality-Based Reflection title card with warm off-white text on a deep teal background.

To Pay Attention

“To pay attention / this is our endless and proper work.” — Mary Oliver Origin This line comes from Mary Oliver’s
4 min read
17
May
A foggy forest with trees partly obscured, representing how illusion can make reality harder to see clearly.

Illusion Is Not Always Stupidity

By illusion, I mean a belief, story, assumption, or way of seeing the world that is not well aligned with
6 min read
14
May
Reality-Based Reflection title card with warm off-white text on a deep teal background.

Be Yourself; Everyone Else Is Already Taken

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” Often attributed to Oscar Wilde; exact origin uncertain. Origin This quote is commonly
3 min read
11
May
A cave-like rock opening looking out toward a bright green landscape, suggesting the tension between shelter and clearer seeing.

Why Comfort Often Defeats Honesty

Most people do not reject honesty because they hate truth. More often, honesty is rejected because comfort offers something immediate.
6 min read
09
May
Ocean water moving against a rocky shoreline, showing the steady interaction between waves and stone, representing reality as it is.

Reality Does Not Need Our Permission

There are some truths we do not get to vote on. We may accept them or deny them. We may
6 min read
07
May
A misty mountain landscape with rocky peaks partly hidden by fog, suggesting truth partly visible through uncertainty.

Truth is Not Certainty

Many people hesitate to talk about truth because they confuse truth with certainty. This is understandable. Certainty can sound final.
5 min read
06
May
A quiet forest path with sunlight breaking through the trees, suggesting clarity, reflection, and a way forward.

What It Means to Live Reality-Based

Most people do not want to consciously live in illusion. Most of us want to believe we are honest people.
6 min read