Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

A drive along Highway 50 toward Elmdale, then west, leads travelers into the quiet beauty of rural Kansas. Within about 90 minutes, the noise of everyday life fades into open skies, rustling leaves, and peaceful farmland. In West Chase County, surrounded by soybean fields and a gentle creek valley, sits a unique getaway called the…

While cleaning out the hall closet, I reached into the pocket of my husband Denton’s old coat—one I hadn’t seen him wear in years. What I pulled out stopped me cold. A folded note. Not in his handwriting. Just one line: “This is between us. No one else can know.” And a phone number. My…

I will never forget the night everything I believed in shattered. I came home early—arms full of groceries, mind full of plans for dinner—when I heard faint whispers drifting from my bedroom. At first, I thought I was imagining things. But as I stepped closer, my heart sank. When I pushed the door open, the…

When Stacey showed up at my door, shaking and pale, I did not see the woman who had married my ex husband. I saw someone drowning in a story I already knew by heart. Her eyes were wide with fear and disbelief, the same look I once saw in the mirror when my own illusions…

You know that tiny loop on the back of some button-down shirts, just below the collar? Most people don’t even notice it until they’re looking for it. I never thought much about it—until I asked my husband. He stared at his shirt loops, completely baffled. He had never noticed them either. For years, I assumed…

When I first organized my kitchen years ago, I believed accessibility was key. I arranged everything I used often — spices, bread, fruit, knives, and appliances — right on the countertop. My logic was simple: if I could see it, I’d use it more frequently. It felt efficient and intuitive at the time. Initially, this…

As Christmas approaches, neighborhoods glow with red, green, and white lights. Yet many homes stand out with blue porch lights—sometimes displayed alone. These lights often spark curiosity, and while they may seem decorative, they frequently carry deeper meaning. Blue porch lights have grown in popularity over the past decade, fueled by awareness campaigns, social movements,…

One day, two young brothers in Rome, aged 12 and 14, came home carrying a 20- and a 50-euro note. Their mother immediately asked where they had gotten so much money. “Well,” said the younger boy, “we were standing outside a brothel when a man walked out. We told him we knew where he’d been,…

Homemade jam is not just food. It’s a quiet rebellion against rushed mornings and flavorless routines. Somewhere between simmering fruit and slow stirring, Jam Mazah turns into more than a recipe. It becomes memory, patience, and tenderness in a jar. But most people never learn why this simple, three-ingredient tradition mat… Continues… Jam Mazah begins…

After 50 years, I filed for divorce. I had had enough. We’d grown distant, and I was suffocating. The kids were grown, so I was ready to go. Charles was crushed, but I fought for my new life at 75. After signing the divorce papers, our lawyer invited us to a cafe—after all, we ended…